A Clean Slate
by PoisionInk
Summary: <html><head></head>{ JuLexis past and present, Ethina, Rally, Siam and OC x NATHAN OR DANTE} All Avaleigh wanted was to come home the second she remembered where that was. She fled an abusive ex with her 6 year old daughter. But when an accident leaves her life in the balance, it helps her reconnect with her mother and father. Will she stay? And who will she wind up falling in love with?</html>
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER O1

The tears stung her eyes as she said in her best faked cheerful voice, "Shhh.. It's gonna be alright, baby girl.. We're never going back there, Carrie." and from the backseat her 6 year old daughter said quietly, "But what if he come to us now, mama? What we do then? Or that mean lady, what if she find us again?" and 25 year old Thandie Beckett bit her lower lip as she stared at the road ahead, the road that lead them out of Benson Hurst and into Port Charles.

"Mama's gonna think of something, okay? Just take a nap.. Do you have your sippy cup? Do you want Mama to turn on Frozen for you?" Thandie asked as her daughter shook a head full of long and dark wavy hair. The city limit sign for Port Charles came into view and it was like a weight on the woman's shoulder was being lifted with each mile further away she got from Benson Hurst, from her former boyfriend, from her past.

The Beckett _[__**davis**__ - j__**erome**__, Thandie, your god damn last name is davis - jerome. You are the daughter of Julian Jerome and Alexis Davis.. You are the second oldest daughter. You had an older sister Samantha and your real name is Avaleigh Kristen, which pissed off your mother to no end, that your dad wanted to name you after his no good sister, your middle name was the name she picked out, like your aunt Kristina, her sister that died.. You got taken from __**ALL**_ _them, remember? Doesn't mean they __**stopped loving you, stopped being your actual god damn parents**__.] _girls were going to get a clean slate. Finally, Thandie was going to stop living in fear. Finally, Thandie was going to be free, her daughter was going to be free. She'd just seen the news earlier, they'd found a body, it had been identified as Helena Cassadine.

This was a good thing. That insane bitch that tortured her all through her childhood before sending her away to live with some of the worst people she'd ever had the misfortune to meet in her life, well.. She was gone. Thandie no longer had to fear opening the door, seeing the spiteful old bitch standing there out of the blue.

True, after Helena had gotten rid of her back then, she'd lost all contact, but still.. The woman had done so much to affect Thandie in a deep and profound way, just hearing her name or smelling a perfume like the crap Helena used to wear was enough to trigger a panic attack.

And naturally, her home life, after she'd been sent to live with the people she was supposed to call mom and dad.. After she'd been taken from her own real family, she now realized.. She'd been lied to on top of it all.. Her home life with these other parents was hell.

Their punishments, however, were nothing on those that were dished out by Helena Cassidine, the old bitch. It wasn't any wonder why when fresh out of high school, just barely on her own a month she met this jerk Jackson.. And she fell for him, for his lies, for the mask he presented to her.

But as soon as she'd seen the news earlier, seen them fishing Helena's cold and dead remains out of a harbor in Port Charles, something in her snapped.. And she remembered everything about her life _BEFORE_ she'd gotten taken from her mother and father.

The question, however, remained.. Had Julian and Alexis forgotten their little girl? Had Sam forgotten her little sister? Or did they all think she was long dead by now, lost to them?

And what was going to happen when she showed up on the doorstep of her childhood home?

Her stomach churned nervously the more she got closer to Port Charles. She was almost home now. She was almost totally free... What lie ahead for her?

The headlights blinded her as a car came rushing at them head on, entirely too fast. Before she realized what was happening, there was a crash, the sound of metal collapsing, the sickening screech as the guard rails to the bridge started to give when her car skidded into and was stopped by them just shy of falling off the bridge.

Her head bounced off of the steering wheel and then the driver side window of the black Eclipse she drove, and she felt her world going dark. As she was pulled out of the car, she muttered quietly, "Let me.. Let me go. My baby girl, she's..." before she finally faded out one last time after nodding towards the car. An ear piercing scream of a six year old girls mortal terror filled the night and the men on scene already turned to look at one another, then the car before all took off in that general direction.

"No, ma'am.. You stay put. We'll get your little girl out of there." one of the EMTs still standing around her said firmly, placed a hand on her shoulder to keep her seated. She shoved the hand off and stood on shaky legs, started to break towards the car in a run.

Nathan West, a cop on the scene grabbed her quickly and said in a quiet and calming voice, "She's alright.. She's not hurt, thank God you had her in that safety seat, huh?" as Thandie tried to fight him to get free, she didn't like someone pinning her, holding her and he was.

"Look.. You've been injured. You don't need to run over there.. If you get over there, ma'am."

"Thandie." she gasped, "It's Thandie. Now fucking let.." she stopped to breathe again, "Let me go. Please.. I have to get to my baby." as Nathan shook his head and held her in place. She fought and squirmed, he raised a brow. She acted as if she wanted no part of anyone touching her, at all.

Finally, he got her back towards the ambulance just as the group of men who'd been working to free her daughter from the back seat of the car managed to get her daughter loose and out of the way. The car went over the side of the bridge, the scream of metal as it hit the water, and an EMT put Carrie into her mothers arms, Thandie covered her daughters ears as she started to cry.

Panic set in now.. What if her parents thought she was pulling a con?

What if her ex showed up and she had no means to escape now, obviously?

"Is there.. is there anyone you can call?" Nathan asked the girl as he looked at her, then at her little girl who shyly hid her eyes in her mommy's ripped and blood stained t shirt.

"There is.. But I really don't think they're gonna believe you when you do. They probably think I'm dead by now.." Thandie admitted as Nathan raised a brow and Thandie said quietly, "My dad.. I'd like it if you called him, please? And my mom."

"Their names?"

"Alexis Davis and Julian Jerome." Thandie said as she stared off into the distance only letting her eyes dart around the scene and it's chaos every now and then as if she were a caged animal looking for any actual escape route.

"Are you in some kind of trouble, Ms? Is this some kind of con?" Nathan asked. He knew both parties, of course, one he liked, the other he was not so fond of. Who would willingly admit that Julian Jerome, known mob kingpin, was their father?

"If it were a con, officer, do you really think I'd fucking.." Thandie winced as a wave of pain hit her, dropped her to her knees almost. Nathan took the little girl, who instantly started to cry and beg for him to please not hurt her mommy anymore as she covered her eyes.

Thandie looked up at him and after a few moments, she growled out, "If I were pulling a fucking con, officer, I'd go for the Quartermaine family. No, I happen to be telling the truth. Now either call them or don't. But I'd prefer finish this conversation in that ambula.." she stopped again, gritting her teeth as she pointed to the ambulance. The pain was washing over her in waves now, she was almost sick with it.

Nathan saw her turning white and quickly, he handed the little girl to Dante Falconeri, who stood nearby, looking at Thandie intently, having heard the whole conversation.

He did vaguely remember it being mentioned once, that the loss of a second child was what drove Julian and Alexis apart He was almost certain that his mom and Sonny's second wife Carly were discussing it one night when he was a kid and they'd just gotten back from an organized search party in town when it was discovered that only Georgie, Lulu, Maxie and a few of the other kids in town returned from playing in the park one afternoon.

The second daughter of Julian Jerome and Alexis Davis, only 6 at the time, at the park with her sitter, a woman who'd promptly been fired on the spot by Julian, was gone, vanished without a trace.

His gaze shifted to the little girl in his arms as he asked quietly, "Are you okay, little bit?"

The little girl shook her head, reached arms out for her mommy and Dante said quietly, "She's hurt really bad, little bit.. But hey, if you want, I can take ya to the hospital? I'll even play the sirens."

He would have normally put the girl into the ambulance with her mother, but for one thing, she wasn't injured badly, just a bruise on her forehead and a face full of smashed cheeto dust, a scratch or two on her cheek.. Her mother, he knew, might very well have internal injuries.

Dante just didn't think it'd be a good idea, really, for the little girl to potentially be there, if her mommy did die. Because it looked like it'd take a miracle for the woman in question to pull through and survive the night.

"Mister?"

"Yeah?"

"My mommy was just tryin to protec me." Carrie said as Dante gave the girl a strange look and then said quietly, "Yeah, mommies do that." as he helped the little girl into a car seat that someone coming th rough the other side of the road happened to have in their car.

In the back of the ambulance, Nathan stared at the woman.. She was gorgeous, she looked like one of those dark haired angels or something. And she was stubborn as hell, she was fighting him with every breath she had in her. The more he'd try to get her to stop straining against the machines and IVs, the more she strained and insisted that she wanted her daughter in the ambulance with her.

Nathan knew why Dante had taken the little girl to the hospital seperately. And he didn't have the heart to tell her, not when she was fighting, she was strong willed, obviously.

"So.. Your husband let you two out alone at night? If I had two girls as pretty as you guys, I wouldn't." he admitted quietly as she looked at him for a moment and then said "My husband.. I'm not married... Just a bastard ex.. That I nearly killed us both trying to get away from tonight.."

"What were you coming to Port Charles for?"

"Because, sir.."

"It's Nathan."

"Because, Nathan.. I was going to go home.. To my parents." Thandie insisted as Nathan looked at her. She seemed adamant she was telling the truth, that both Julian and Alexis were her parents. That Sam was her sister. But he'd been in town a while now, and none of them ever mentioned another member of the family.

And he knew Sam pretty well, considering she did PI work for the precinct from time to time.

Maybe that's why he called Anna Devane, his boss at work.. Just as the girl on the gurney next to him was slipping into unconciousness.. He explained the situation quickly and quietly and Anna pretty much confirmed it and then asked, "Is she..She's alive, right?"

"She is, but it's not looking so good.. And her daughter, Anna, the little girl was shaken up. Dante took her in his patrol car to the hospital.. Should we notify Julian or Alexis? What about Sam? Lucas?"

"We might want to, yes. You said she seems to refuse to admit she's not telling the truth. At least if they know, digging can be done and if need be, we can all finally find out the truth. I'd want to know if it were Robin." Anna stated as Nathan nodded and looked at the girl, leaned down to brush a strand of dark brown hair out of her face where it was starting to try and stick to the blood matted on her forehead.

"Yeah.. I'll call you back when we get to the hospital." Nathan said as he sat there solemnly, watching the girl intently, as his mind went over what Anna told him just now.

And he went back to how she'd reacted to being touched even a little earlier. Maybe, for her, it was fight or flight. It was a natural reaction to years of torment and abuse.. She seemed to fit the profile of a kidnapping victim. He'd had to deal with a few cases like those in his days at NYPD.

* * *

><p>CHAPTER O2<p>

Julian Jerome had just settled in with his meal for the night and a good glass of wine. The last thing he expected, really, was to get a call at a little after midnight, but his cell phone started to ring. Alexis, whom he'd recently patched things up with, tried to pick up where they left off, they were working through their grief and past issues together now, she looked up at him and raised a brow over the rim of her glasses as she closed the case file in her lap.

"Ava.."

"No, sir.. This is Port Charles General.. Do you have a daughter named Thandie Avaleigh Beckett?" Ephiphany asked as the gurney containing the girl rushed past into the CCU.

Julian dropped the wine glass he'd been holding when he heard the middle name. The color slowly drained from his face as Alexis watched him, stunned and mouthed Well? Who is it?

He stepped out of the room for a few moments without even looking her in the eyes. Out in the hallway, he talked in hushed tones to whomever had called just now and a few moments later, he walked back in and pulled Alexis tightly against him as he tried to will his heart down out of his throat.

He dealt with danger, crimes, anything one could think of on a daily basis.. But nothing prepared him for the call he'd just gotten from the hospital just now, all the old wounds hearing the girls name opened back up, all the old pain he knew it'd bring back to Alexis.

"Well? Who was it?" Alexis asked, starting to panic, feeling nervous. Julian was normally like ice. Nothing shook or scared the man.. But he'd acted like this two other times in his life.. The first time Sam almost got kidnapped, by an enemy of his when she was about 3.. And the night they lost Avaleigh, their second child together, for good.

"What is it?"

"We need to call the girls and Lucas." Julian said quietly as Alexis looked at him and asked, "What happened? Who was on the phone?"

"That, Alexis, was the hospital.. And they might have found her.." Julian trailed off, hesitant.. Did he dare tell Alexis she might just find her daughter and a grandchild, apparently, and she might lose her all in the same week?

"A..They might have found Avaleigh? But she.. We found the death certificate, Julian, we identified a body.."

"Apparently, Alexis, someone hid her from us after taking her.. If this is even true, of course."

"Why did the hospital call, Julian, damn it, what aren't you telling me?" Alexis asked, starting to pace, trying to process what he said to her just now. And how to tell Sam because Sam had been a wreck after they supposedly found her baby sister's body in a creek close to the park, back in the wooded area where the nature trails were. She'd actually been a mute for a year almost.

And in some ways, Alexis suspected that Sam still thought about it, still tried to find some way to pin blame on herself. She'd been the older sister, she knew their sitter didn't care what they did..

"She had a really, really bad accident tonight, Alexis. They don't know the extent of her injuries yet.. I just want all of the kids together in case.. "Julian said firmly as Alexis nodded and with shaking hands, she stepped outside into the hallway, to call Sam first..

Sam fumbled around on the nightstand next to the bed of Dr. Silas Clay, whom she was living with currently and finally, she answered the phone. "Mom?"

"You need to get to the hospital as fast as you can. I wanted to call you first, Sam.. They might have found Avaleigh alive.. But she might not make it very long." Alexis said in a rush as Sam sat straight up in the bed and stood, asked her mother, "Are they sure? I mean the police.. That tooth they found near that body, Mom.."

"We'll figure this out together, okay?" Alexis said as Sam said quietly, "Do you want me to do some digging?"

"It wouldn't hurt.. For now, though, let's at least go and see her.." Alexis said as the tears came slowly. Sam wiped at her eyes and nodded then turned on the lights of the bedroom. Silas grumbled but eventually came alive and asked, "The hell, Sam?"

"I have to go.. Now, actually." Sam said as she paced and her stomach filled with dread in it's heaviest sensation. It felt like there was lead in the bottom of her stomach. And she knew her hands were shaking, she was having a literal panic attack.

Silas arms found her waist and he asked quietly, "Hey, what's wrong, huh? You're shaking all over, babe."

"Remember that night we talked about regrets and I told you my three biggest? One of them being that I felt like I could have done something to prevent my baby sister from getting kidnapped, dying?" Sam asked as Silas spun her around and nodded then asked, "Why? Who was that?"

"My mom.. She might.. Avaleigh might be alive, Silas. But it won't matter, because she's had a wreck now and.. She's in really, really bad shape." Sam admitted as Silas nodded and said quietly, "I'll go get Danny ready and make the coffee. Grab my scrubs outta the laundry, would ya? Just in case they need an extra set of hands in surgery or something, if they have to do it on her."

"But we don't know it is her." Sam said as Silas stopped in the door way and said quietly, "We don't know it isn't, either. Which made Sam nod and start getting herself and then Danny ready.

Across town, Ethan finally heard Kristina's cell phone ringing and he tried poking his fiancee awake to point this out, but he remembered that she'd had a long night the night before, she'd been up and down, sick with food cravings and then her body rejecting the food that apparently their first child wanted.

He leaned over his gorgeous fiancee and picked up the phone, only to hear Alexis on the other end of the line. And Alexis sounded for all intents and purposes more panicked then she'd been when Ethan proposed to Kristina in front of her entire graduating class, a grand gesture he'd made to prove to her that he loved her and he wasn't ever leaving town again.

This was almost Alexis sounding fearful.. Like she would if something had happened to Molly or Sam. Ethan listened intently and quickly, he woke up his fiancee and explained what he could of the situation, carefully. He didn't want to upset her, might upset the baby put stress on them both. But he did manage to get her dressed and in the car, with Kristina asking her mom and oldest sisters questions endlessly via cell phone and three way call the entire way.

"So do we think she's a con artist?"

"We don't know anything yet, Kristina." Alexis said as Julian added from the background, "Just make sure that Ethan kid drives carefully. The ice on the road is what caused the collision she was in earlier." as Julian's cell phone rang and he picked it up, turned it to speaker mode.

"Mom?"

"Molly, are you with anyone who can get you to the hospital? Or do we need to pick you up?" Alexis asked as Molly looked at Rafe and TJ, then said "I think Rafe's girlfriend has a car. Let me see if she'll bring me.. It's not Kristina, right? Or Sam or Danny?"

"No, Molly.. They might have found Avaleigh.. But she's been severly injured in a car accident. We don't actually know anything yet, but.. We decided to go ahead and tell you three just in case it turns out to be her." Alexis explained as Molly nodded and then after a few more moments, she hung up with her mother and got Rafe to borrow the keys to his girlfriend's car since apparently neither she nor TJ cared that there was some kind of crisis currently, they were too engrossed in talking, they had been all night.

"So.. Last time we were in a car together.."

"You're not that guy anymore, Rafe.. It's been what, almost 2 years now?" Molly said as she asked him, "Are you upset you had to leave?"

"Not really, no. Our dates tonight, if you haven't noticed, have kinda been ditching us." Rafe pointed out as he asked Molly, "What was that about? You look upset right now."

"I'm sort of afraid." Molly admitted as she explained the entire situation, from begin to end to Rafe who reached out and grabbed her hand, gave it a gentle squeeze. "Want me to stay with you?"

"Please?" Molly asked quietly as the hospital came into view and she saw her sisters, their boyfriends and her mom and Julian waiting, all looked nervous and Silas, she noticed, was in deep conversation with Dr. Drake, both were in scrubs.

The little girl stood shyly away from everyone, mostly clinging to Officer Nathan West's leg by now. And Alexis explained to the girls, "That's Carrie. She's 6 and that' s your sis.. I mean the girl we think might be your sister.. That's her daughter. They have her in surgery right now. They got her stabilized, but it's touch and go right now." as Sam asked quietly, "Did you get to see her?"

"We did." Julian admitted as Lucas walked out of the hospital, furious. "What's wrong, son?"

"Ephiphany said the surgery was too personal to me, Dad. I coulda helped! I know I could have done something!" as he walked over to Patrick and said "You're being tagged in.. Since thanks to the weather and the icy roads we have about 10 victims of an auto accident in the ER."

"Anything I can do?" Silas asked as Lucas nodded and said "If you have scrubs, go put 'em on. Even if you don't get into her room, man, they'll use you somewhere." as Julian asked, "What was going on when you left?" which Lucas explained, "Well, she almost flatlined twice out of the blue.. Then we got her back, we got the one bad internal injury sewn up and they're working on giving her a blood transfusion now."

"She'll make it.. Right?'  
>She is putting up one hell of a fight in there, Alexis." Lucas said as Julian nodded and with a smallish smile said "She was always the more stubborn of the two."<p>

Nathan felt a tug to his jeans and he looked down. The little girl, for w hatever reason, had changed her mind about him, she seemed to think now that he wasn't going to hurt her mommy like she had at the scene of the accident. She'd only really go to either himself or Dante, she apparently trusted them more than anyone else.

"What's up, little bit?"

"I hungry.. And I scart"

"Let's go see if we can find you food, okay?" Nathan asked as he picked up the little girl which made Julian snap "Where the hell are you taking our grandchild?"

"To get food, Mr. Jerome. She doesn't know you. She met me at the scene and she rode here with Dante. For right now, it's better if she sticks with the people she trusts and she's met." Nathan said as Alexis quickly grabbed hold of Julian and said quietly, "He's right.. We don't.. We don't even know if that is her up there just yet. The tests they took won't come back until later."

"You saw her, Alexis.. Tell me how the hell that's not our other little girl up there. The same nose, the little freckle, the mole even." Julian insisted.

For him, losing Thandie, almost losing Sam, those were both hell on the man and something he still carried with him, even now.

Because of his lifestyle, he almost lost one daughter and until tonight, he had lost his youngest.

It's one reason why he walked away from Alexis for so long, really. He hadn't wanted to cause her any more suffering. He wanted Sam to grow up safe and happy, he wanted Alexis to find a good man, settle.

But he'd recently realized that he'd never love anyone but her, and that he'd rather die trying to get away from his lifestyle, prove himself to her, be there for their daughters and their other children.. Than to not have her at all, because years of not having her made him a bitter and angry man.

"She didn't say that, Dad."

"I'm sorry, it's just.. We wanted this for a long time." Julian said as Alexis nodded, agreed with him and hugged against him as she said quietly, "Coffee. We all need coffee. Let's go get some.. Then you can keep an eye on Carrie for yourself. Without starting a brawl with the local police and getting thrown in jail."

"Let's go."

The family ventured into the hospital, and upstairs, the surgery, the literal fight for her own life continued as Thandie slept, unknowing of what lie ahead.. Or what might just be a blessing in disguise.

* * *

><p><strong>{ Okay, this definitely hints at a past between Julian and Alexis, it actually t<strong>**otally rewrites their past together.**** Instead of just having Sam, they were t****ogether longer****, ****Alexis raised Sam**** in this story, by the way, and they had two daughters. I got inspired when I was watching scenes between the two today to write it this way, I've actually been working on this story for a few weeks now, afraid to post it.**

**Rally, Ethina, Siam and JuLexis pairings. My oc, however, I cannot decide between Nathan or another age appropriate male for her. So if you want to suggest or think I should just leave her with Nathan, feel free to suggest this. I mean Nathan is my favorite hottie currently, but I'll take names like Johnny or Dante into consideration.. Just suggest..**

**No flames, please? }**


	2. Chapter 1 - cont'd

CHAPTER O3

The time seemed to drag on for hours, but in reality, to the people sitting in the crowded hospital waiting room, it was actually just shy of two. Not the thousand things seemed to take. Julian was on his fourth cup of coffee and pacing steady holes in the floor, Sam was watching the doors to the ICU, where Thandie had been taken just after surgery, waiting on Patrick or Silas, Lucas even, when he'd finally been allowed back in the surgery room, he'd scrubbed in within seconds, explaining to his father and Alexis that he'd just feel better if he were in there with Patrick and Silas as they completed the surgeries remaining.

The small family was tense. And that tension was about to grow, because the doors at the lobby burst open and a man walked, no he stumbled in, obviously drunk and angry, yelling at several desk clerks and just making a scene in general. Julian heard the girl's name mentioned and all those time honored fatherly protective urges surfaced. Especially when he saw the man walk over and pick up the 6 year old little girl that belonged to the girl they thought to be Avaleigh, their daughter. Alexis went to stop him but he stood, strode off down the hallway just as Nathan stepped out, arms crossed.

"You're lucky I've got my badge on tonight."

"W-who the fuck are you?" the man asked as Julian stepped out from behind and said calmly, "It's not him you should be worried about. Put my granddaughter down. Now." and Nathan gave Julian a glare, a warning tone as he said "Mr. Jerome, I do have my badge on."

"And does it look like I honestly give a damn? If that girl fighting for her life back there IS my daughter? And this scumbag is the reason she fled like that and wrecked? It's a safe bet that his days are numbered. And you won't have to arrest me, I'll gladly turn myself over." Julian said as he went for the gun he kept on him. Up the hall Alexis groaned and Kristina nudged Dante, who for whatever reason, had stayed after bringing Carrie to the hospital personally, himself.

The little girl was apparently, quite attached to the muscular Italian male. Then again, he had been the one who'd risked his own ass and pulled her out of the car. Nathan had his hands full with Thandie, Carrie's mother though, because she'd been fighting like a wildcat with every ounce of strength she had, damned all injuries, to get to her baby.

Dante's head shot up, his eyes popped open and he stretched, watched the tension brewing at other end of the hall. After a few moments, when the drunken man, who he assumed to be Carrie's dad, the one she'd said was so mean and scary on the ride to the hospital, well, he decided it was time he did something about it. He started down the hallway and stood behind the man quietly, arms crossed as he said in a deathly calm tone, "There a problem here? Oh, and you're not takin that kid anywhere. I mean unless you just wanna go through the three of us?" and held the man's drunken wild eyed gaze.

"He means it, buddy." Nathan said as he held out his arms, intending to take Carrie. But she went to Dante this time and clung to him. He gave a slight half smirk as he looked down at her and said quietly, "Go up there and sit with your aunts. They wanna meet you." as Julian nodded at her and said with a reassuring smile, "And your grandmother wants to see you too."

"Otay." Carrie said quietly, mostly still afraid that her father would somehow, wind up taking her back to their old house. The man scared her, almost to the point that just now, when he'd grabbed her, before the two nice cop men and this man who looked real grouchy but bought her all the snack cakes she wanted from the vending machine earlier and let her play with his phone, but she wasn't now.. Maybe her mama didn't have to take them and run. After all, her mommy was hurt real bad right now, she'd heard the adults around her whispering about it all night, she just hadn't said anything.

She might be stuck here, with all of them.. Maybe they wouldn't make her go back to her father..

She walked down the hallway quietly and sat down near the woman who'd been sitting with the grumpy man and tapped her gently. "Please don't make me leave with him." as she nodded her head downward, towards her dad. Alexis took her granddaughter (or the little girl she hoped would end up being her granddaughter, she hoped that Avaleigh was proven to be the girl they'd found tonight and that Avaleigh fought and lived through this) into her lap and said with a firm shake of her head, "You're not going anywhere." as Sam nodded in agreement and Kristina and Molly nodded also as Sam added, "Are you scared of him?"

"Mhmm.. He mean."

"How mean?" Kristina asked, her own rage raising for a moment. Ethan quickly got hold of her arm and shook his head and then said "Not now." as Kristina nodded and took a few deep breaths to calm herself.

Silas walked out the door and said to Alexis, "We have her in a room right now. She's stable, she's doing a lot better than we thought she would. It's still dicey, but the odds aren't against her as badly as they were a few hours ago." which Alexis nodded to and then asked, "Can we go see her?" Silas nodded and said "Normally, we'd make you go back two at a time.. I know it's late, and I know Sam's gonna kill me if you all don't get to see her tonight. Just don't stay back too long." in a cautionary voice as Sam snuggled against him and said "I love you."  
>"I know." Silas teased gently as he put his arm around her and then said quietly, "So.. Are you gonna look into her being your sister?" as Sam nodded and then added, "And I'm looking into that asshole that apparently fathered her child, also. Something.. It's off about him."<p>

Just then the sounds of a fight could be heard from down the hall and moments later, the family watched as the man who'd walked in and tried to just take Carrie out was cuffed and practically dragged out the door by Dante and Nathan, thrown into the back of a waiting cop car. Sam shook her head and then mused to herself, "Didn't think it'd take long."

"Me either. Dante looked pissed when the guy came in." Kristina said as Molly nodded and said quietly, "I just wonder if maybe we shouldn't find a place to hide Carrie at.. If things.." to which Sam muttered gently, "She's gonna make it, Molly. She's stubborn just like the three of us. Actually, guys, she might be just a little bit more stubborn." and looked at her sisters. Carrie leaned her head against Alexis and yawned a little as she said quietly, "Head hurtin."

Alexis stood and went to find Silas, who was out of surgery, and since he was the acting pediatrician on staff, she trusted her daughter's boyfriend to look Carrie over. "She's complaining with a headache and there's a big bruise on her forehead.. I didn't want to risk her having a concussion." Alexis said as Silas looked at the little girl and managing a smile, he asked, "Mind if I ask you something?"

She hid her face in Alexis pants leg for a moment and then said quietly, "Can you make my head not hurt?" as she fixed her big brown eyes up on him and bit her lower lip nervously. Silas chuckled and bent, picked the little girl up as he carried her towards the childrens wing of the hospital. Dante walked back in and saw Silas carrying Carrie towards the childrens wing and he and Nathan both asked in curiousity, "She's okay, right?"

"She's complaining of a headache. She took a pretty hard bump to the head, actually, I want to rule out a concussion." Silas said as he looked at the two males and then asked "Since you two sort of make her comfortable.. Wanna walk back?" which made Carrie smile a little. She'd looked freaked out, almost panicked just now, the look was similar in her mother, Nathan noticed.

What had these two been living through?

In the waiting room, Alexis and her daughters went back to see Thandie, who was still out. Still unaware of what she'd wake up to sooner or later. But she was having nightmares. Her head, inside of it at least, was a dark and scary place given everything she'd lived through, everything she'd had done to her.. She was fighting though, trying to fight her way back to life, back to her little girl.. Back to her family, to show them she wasn't dead and that she knew they didn't know she'd been taken, she knew the truth now.

But for now, however, Thandie slept. Machines kept her alive for the moment. But maybe soon those wouldn't be needed anymore. The four women in the room all sitting around her bedside talking to her quietly certainly hoped so. The door edged open and Lucas walked in, looked at his half sister sleeping and sat down in a chair.

"Brad's getting the lab to rush the DNA testing." Lucas said aloud as Molly leaned in and took the girls hand in hers, said quietly, "She's gonna fight her way back.. Right?" as Kristina and Sam exchanged glances and said quietly, "She has to." with Alexis nodding in quiet agreement. She gazed intently at the daughter she never thought she would see alive again lying in the bed, small and almost lifeless sright now.. She just had this feeling.. Thandie was Avaleigh, they were one and the same. And Alexis was hoping against hope that Avaleigh woke up soon, that she got a chance to be a mother to her, that she got to have all of her daughters with her, safe and happy.

Julian's hand rested on her shoulder and he said quietly, "She was always the stubborn and argumentative one, Lex.. She'll wake up.. The EMT and that West guy told me just now that she remembered us, that she was trying to get him to call us." as Alexis nodded and said quietly, "She has to wake up. I can't have found her just to lose her all over again.." which Julian said quietly, "Me either." as he reached out, moved the bangs settled in Thandie's eye, out of them.

The next 48 hours were going to be hell for all of them. But they hoped it would result in her waking up, being okay, finally being back where she belonged again.

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><p><strong>{ Okay, this definitely hints at a past between Julian and Alexis, it actually <strong>**t****otally rewrites their past together.**** Instead of just having Sam, they were t****ogether longer****, ****Alexis raised Sam**** in this story, by the way, and they had two daughters. I got inspired when I was watching scenes between the two today to write it this way, I've actually been working on this story for a few weeks now, afraid to post it.**

**Rally, Ethina, Siam and JuLexis pairings. My oc, however, I cannot decide between Nathan or another age appropriate male for her. So if you want to suggest or think I should just leave her with Nathan, feel free to suggest this. I mean Nathan is my favorite hottie currently, but I'll take names like Johnny or Dante into consideration.. Just suggest..**

**No flames, please? }**


	3. Chapter 2

CHAPTER O4

Olivia stepped off of the elevator and into the lobby of the hospital. All she did know from the call her son had given her, was that he'd saved a little girl from being trapped in a car after a bad wreck that resulted in the car being perched half on and half off the bridge. Now, apparently, the little girl was fixated on Dante, and he was staying at the hospital with her just until she got used to her extended family. When he'd told her who the girls extended family might be, she figured that Alexis could use a few thousand cups of strong black coffee, she knew how Alexis was with the worry and in this case, she didn't blame her. A few years ago, that had been her sitting in the waiting room using coffee as a life line while she worried about Dante living through the night or not.

As her son came into view she smiled. But then a vision hit her, right out of the blue. And this one was not like the others. Most of the time, they were pretty literal, she had to loosely interpret them. This one was more cut and dried.. And it involved Dante and that little girl sitting in his lap right now. It took place around Christmas time. And it had Olivia grinning to herself as she walked over and sat down, tapped her son to wake him up, but carefully, so the little girl didn't wake up. Dante grumbled and rubbed his eyes then said "Hey ma." as he saw his mother sitting there. Olivia nodded to the little girl and said "Cute little girl, huh?" as Dante nodded and said quietly, "I called to tell ya I might not be home tonight. Didn't mean to worry ya, ma." sleepily. Olivia nodded and said "That's the little girl ya saved from the car that almost went off the bridge?"

"Mhmm. Her mom's in bad shape right now. She's in a coma sort of, the doctors said that we'll know something either way in 48 hours." as the little girl stirred around in his lap, rooted down into his leather jacket. She was wearing one of Molly's old dresses right now, and it was still too big even. Light snores came from her as she slept fitfully. Dante put his arms around her to keep her on his lap and not let her slide onto the floor.

Alexis walked over and sat down, said quietly, "Thanks for staying with her.. You didn't have to do that.." as Dante shrugged and chuckled a little, admitted "It was either stay where I was bein useful or go back to my loft and do nothin. Besides, she got used to me on the ride over." as Alexis nodded and said quietly, "And that is an important thing, especially right now." as Olivia nodded as well and thought to herself, _'might just be important in the future too'. _but said nothing. Alexis looked at the clock and then said quietly, "It seems like time drags by."

"It does." Olivia mused as she said quietly, "Really was a livin hell for me when Dante was in here." which made Alexis nod and then fall silent again. Sam had gone to her office, said she was going to start that digging now. Because she wanted to know if that was her baby sister in the hospital bed. Alexis, of course, suspected that Sam's guilt and grief were huge motivators.

Carrie snuggled against the man. She liked him.. he'd risked his own life to save hers, because if he'd made just one wrong move, the car would've fallen with both of them inside of it. But he hadn't thought about that. Plus, he'd kept her father away from her the night before. And he hadn't broken his promise either, because he could've gone home and left her with a room full of strange people, but he'd stayed. Dante chuckled as the little girls arms locked around his neck and her face burrowed into his shoulder as she continued to sleep.

The nurse announcing the begin of morning visiting hours came over the intercom and Dante stood, looked at Alexis and said quietly, "I'm gonna take Carrie back to see her ma. I mean she's almost out of the woodwork.." his eyes sort of hopeful as he said this, a fact that his mother caught onto but Alexis for the moment didn't notice. She nodded and said with a smile, "Thanks again.. For staying."

"What was I gonna do?" Dante asked with a slight smile as he ventured down the hallway, carried Carrie into her mother's room. His throat closed up on him momentarily when he realized that the little glimpse he had gotten of her the night before hadn't really done her justice. Even with the bruises and cuts all over her, she was still probably stunning. Her long dark hair fanned out on a pillow, her bangs in her eyes. The machines were giving the room a low and steady hum and he walked closer as Carrie hid her face and started to cry. Dante asked her quietly, "Do you wanna go back out?" and she shook her head and said quietly, "Put me down.. I wants to lay with her."

He put her down on the edge and sat in the chair next to the bed, in front of the little girl so she didn't fall off and laughed a little as Carrie started to talk to her mom, tell her things she'd done while she was sleeping. At the end, she sniffled a little and said quietly, "But you has to wake up, Mommy." and Dante nodded and spoke up to say "Shes right. Or all the fightin you did to try and get to her and save her last night will be for nothing. I know I don't know you, but I know I want to.. And Carrie.. She loves her ma." as Carrie nodded quietly, studied the man and said quietly, "Maybe she hear us." as she reached out to be picked up again. He took her back out into the hallway and got the attendee to signal Alexis or Julian and he walked back in quietly, sat there a little while, mostly just thinking. Things happened sometimes, for crazy reasons.

He shook his head at the thought and stood, walked out, bumping into Nathan who was on his way in. "Came by to see her too." Nathan admitted as Dante nodded, keeping his own thoughts on the situation as it appeared to be, quiet. He noticed the flowers and Nathan explained, "This room is gonna be dull as hell when she wakes up." quietly. He eyed Dante for a few moments and Dante shrugged as he said quietly, "Yeah, but maybe by then they'll have figured out if she's really Avaleigh or not."

Nathan nodded in agreement and then said "I'll see you at the station." which Dante nodded to as well. "I'm gonna come back by, later. Make sure Carrie's okay, ya know?" Dante stated as Nathan nodded and said aloud, "I thought about seeing if there weren't some way somebody could sit with her. I mean that guy walked right in off the street last night. And we both know Julian's just gonna shoot first, think later. And I'd like to think that Thandie doesn't want to wake up to her dad in prison. I get the sense they were pretty close given the way she asked for them last night."

"They are. Were, I mean." Dante said quietly as he nodded again, gave one last look to the dark haired female sleeping in the bed and walked out. Somehow, he got the feeling that he was in competition with Nathan now. Or he would be, if and when the girl woke up. And that was the last thing she truly needed to be quite honest. After all, there was no way of actually knowing just how much she'd been through while she'd been missing.

Nathan sat down in the chair and twiddled his thumbs a little then said aloud, "I'm really not sure what to say other than you seem like the kind of girl who fights. A lot harder than this, actually. You need to wake up, okay? Look, I spent over half the night last night worrying about you.. I couldn't actually get you off my mind.. And I think I annoyed my sister, she's a nurse here, Britt."

He reached out for her hand and trailed his fingers slowly over her knuckles as he looked at the monitors. There was no change in her vitals. If she made it through the next twelve hours, Britt told him after she'd bugged Brad to bug Lucas to find out for him, then they could start talking about long term injuries, side effects.. If she didn't wake up, they'd have to do tests and find out why. Patrick seemed to think there was no logical reason for her to still be out like she was. But he also said that he'd seen people wake up right after a major surgery or several of them as she'd had, and not live through the next night.

Nathan bit his lower lip as he stared at the monitors and then said quietly, "Carrie.. She's a pretty and sweet little girl. And she deserves her mom. And truth be told, I want to get to know you. I mean you fought so hard to come back to your family.. Now you're here. It's probably a better idea to wake up." as he looked at her. She looked like one of those dark haired angel figurines.. Or a porcelain doll currently, because the bed and machines dwarfed her, she wasn't really that tall to begin with, he knew that from experience because for a little while there at the scene last night, he'd had to practically hold her against him to keep her from going over and putting both herself and her daughters life at risk just to save her own child. She was one hell of a fighter, that indicated. Her skin was pale right now.

"I'm gonna go out there.. maybe talk to Alexis and Julian for a minute see if the doctors said anything. But I will be back later, okay?" he said as he walked out the door, shut it tightly behind him. He'd gotten into the lobby and Kristina and Molly were on their way back, Molly flashed him a scared smile and asked, "Did she move or anything?'

"Not really. But she's gonna fight."

Kristina nodded and said quietly, "I just wish she'd fight harder. I mean Sam's working as fast sa she can to see if that's our sister.. But I don't need results. I can just sort of sense it. Even if she's not awake, even if we've never actually met each other. I just kind of know. I think Mom and Julian do too." as Molly nodded in agreement and then said quietly, "I wanted to say thank you to you and to Dante." as Nathan shrugged and said quietly, "We're gonna look into who was driving the other car.. Just in case it was her ex."

"Let me know when you find the jerk." Kristina asserted as Molly nodded in agreement and the two girls walked into the room, Nathan walked out and into the lobby waiting area. He found Britt and got her off to the side as he asked, "Brad heard anything yet?"

"He's calling around now. What about you? You did actually go to sleep when you stopped being a pest, didn't you, little brother?" Britt asked as she eyed her brother in concern. She knew he'd been worried when they talked. He nodded but she said "And I call bullshit. At least go and get a nap before you go in. You can't help anybody if you're half asleep."

"I'm going to work, Britt. Because I'm going to find out everything I can about her ex. I just have this feeling that he had something to do with what happened to her." Nathan muttered as Britt nodded then added, "If she wakes up.. I'll text you. What did she say to you last night? I mean I haven't ever seen you take notice in someone other than Maxie.. "

"It wasn't what she said. I mean she really didn't say anything. I don't know, okay? If I did, I could tell you." Nathan said as he started to walk out, only to be cornered by his mother, Liesl who eyed him in concern, tsked at him and said "Britta was right. You didn't go to sleep last night." as he shrugged and said "When you witness something like that.. It's kind of hard to."

"You like her? Is that what this is?" Liesl asked, curious. Because she'd seen him carrying the little girl around the hospital the night before. The only two people the little girl seemed comfortable with, she'd noticed, were her son and that Dante person. "Do not start that." Nathan stated, a touch grouchy. He'd told himself that when Maxie left with that other guy, he was pretty much done.

And he was going to stick to that as best as he could, despite whatever he may or may not feel or know about the girl lying in the hospital bed right now. "Im going to work now." he said as he walked away and got onto the elevator.

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><p><strong>{ Okay, this definitely hints at a past between Julian and Alexis, it actually <strong>**t****otally rewrites their past together.**** Instead of just having Sam, they were t****ogether longer****, ****Alexis raised Sam**** in this story, by the way, and they had two daughters. I got inspired when I was watching scenes between the two today to write it this way, I've actually been working on this story for a few weeks now, afraid to post it.**

**Rally, Ethina, Siam and JuLexis pairings, emphasis on Dante (Or Nathan, an anon suggested Nathan so he'll be back in the running now)x OC. **

**No flames, please? Reviews are great, just no flames? I know it's craptastic, but I'm just relieved my writers block is finally gone!**

**BTW, more family moments in the next chapter. I was just testing each guy I have in mind to pair her with, give you guys actually reading my crappy writing a chance to see who you might want t osee her with more. VOTE NOW ON POLL.}**


	4. I WANT TO LIVE AGAIN - INTERLUDE 1

FOOTNOTE.. BUT AT THE TOP.

**{****VOTE NOW ON POLL.} Okay, seriously, I love you all so much right now, I've only actually posted 3 chapters and it's gotten five reviews! Yay! I was worried it was horrible or something. I love everyone who has reviewed, so very much.**

**A couple things about this chapter off the bat.. Most of the italicized / bolded italized things are Avaleigh's inner struggle with trying to fight her way back to life. It's her 'answering' the family in the room, and her potential suitors of course, though she's not saying it aloud. If that makes sense? I decided to try something, since she is still comatose right now (she won't be for much longer, that I promise) and see if you guys reading liked the concept.**

**I wrote Dante in twice as a shoutout to one of my guest reviewers who happens to love the guy like me! Thanks for reviewing. All those that have thus far voted Nathan, I'll write him in twice in the next one, most likely. Just do this for a while to make things interesting, see who wins the votes and who strikes me as the better pairing for this story. :) SO VOTE!**

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><p><em>'Who is he? I mean he's been in here for a few hours now. He's got Carrie with him..' <em>Avaleigh thought to herself as she continued to try and fight for her own life. The guy continued to speak, his voice was low, sort of seductive, kind of heavy Benson Hurst accent, she couldn't be too sure.. She lie there, unmoving, unspeaking, the damn machines were doing all her breathing for her and basically, she knew if she couldn't find her way back soon, she was done.

End of the line. Show's over.

Carrie's quiet and sweet little voice bought the sting of unshed tears to her eyes as she saw what parts of her daughters life that she might not actually get to see flashing by her as if it were a movie. Carrie's first day of middle school. Carrie's first boyfriend. Carrie's first dance. Carrie's wedding.. All things she wanted to be a part of, as a mother she needed to be there for. She fought against whatever was holding her back and her blood ran cold when she heard that old and familiar voice that caused her so much pain, broke her spirit so many times when she was a kid, right after she'd first gotten taken from her parents. Helena's laugh came through crystal clear and she taunted Avaleigh, _'Really, girl? That's all you've got now, is it? I gave you far too much credit when you were a child really.' _as Avaleigh argued back internally,**_Get out of my head you old bitch. I'm fighting as hard as I can. I cannot leave my baby behind. I will not leave her behind. I'm not giving you or my ex power over my mind anymore, got it? I will wake up._**

_'I'll believe that when I see it, little girl. Funny, I actually thought you might grow up to be useful. All you did really was throw away your entire life pissing and moaning about how nobody wanted you and how the people I left you with were horrible. Instead of getting out, you go off and get yourself pregnant by a real prize. I conditioned you, Avaleigh. I did what I did because you had potential. Because you could have been of great use to me, girl. Sadly, I was mistaken.'_

**_You're dead, Helena. Kind of pathetic that you're hanging around in my brain now. Get out of my head!_ **She stood in the middle of a corridor now, only she was looking at herself at age 7. Probably the last time she was unmedicated, clear headed and not brainwashed by that old bitch. In her hand was a box of matches. She knew if she started a fire in the attic someone below would see, maybe a groundskeeper or something. They'd tell police hopefully, they'd find her, then her daddy would come. Her daddy would never let that old bitch take her! Even though Helena kept telling her that they didn't want her, that they already had the one daughter, her big sister, Sammy.

She'd burn the whole damn house to the ground. She watched in horror as her younger self went to light the fire and instead of what she hoped would happen, instead, the other person living here, a bastard named Stavros, he came along and picked her up. He took her straight back to Helena and she wound up scrubbing every piece of silver in the large gourmet kitchen.. This was only after Helena beat her and then beat her some more when Avaleigh begged to at least just try and talk to her mommy and daddy, try and tell them she'd behave, she'd be a better kid, anything really just to make them want her again.

_I know I'm dead, Avaleigh.. However, your mind doesn't seem to register that. It's pathetic to see in your head. I thought you'd have more backbone for sure. If you were more Cassadine and less Jerome, Avaleigh, you'd be alive and with your family right now.. That is what you want, right? Your family?_

**_Not real. You're an illusion. You can't.. You cannot hurt me anymore, Helena._**

_Oh but apparently, child, I can. I've been doing it over and over for nearly a day and a half now, Avaleigh. What's stopping you from waking up? Don't you want to know that? Why don't you go a little deeper?'_

The question repeated itself about a thousand times and then another familiar voice cut into things, her older sister Sam. Apparently now Sam was visiting. She could feel the way Sam's hand felt on her skin, she could smell the perfume her sister was wearing but she couldn't move or speak or even open her eyes. Her sister began to talk, telling her how much she'd missed her, how she blamed herself for what happened all those years ago, how she still did sometimes and Sam starts to cry. Her sisters hands are shaking as she holds Avaleighs and Avaleigh tries to answer _Sam it's not your fault, okay? It's mine. I was the one who snuck away from our nanny. I was the one who believed that guy who Helena got to grab me when he said he lost his puppy. You didn't know okay? You can't blame yourself. I'm gonna wake up, I swear. We can talk about this then! Don't cry, Sam. Damn it, why can't I just wake up?_

Next, she hears the door open and then close again quietly. Carrie has been in her room the whole day almost, laying with her, talking to her, telling her about watching Frozen with grandparents that Avaleigh long ago gave up hope of Carrie even meeting. She tells her about two men she wishes were her daddy instead of the one she has. She describes the flowers to her that one bought for her. And she tells her about spending time playing cards with a guy that her younger sister Kristina, who she never got to meet before being taken is seeing that says 'call me uncle Ethy, luv. Then she hears her fathers voice and she tries like hell to fight her way back.

_Daddy.. I love you.. I know you and Mom didn't just give me to Helena, she took me and lied to you. Some kind of sick revenge on mom. She was going to get Sam too but I stopped her. I want to see you again, Daddy. I.. My life.. It was soooo scary after she took me. It messed me up in ways. I hope Carrie's keeping you and Mom from going craz with worry, she's good at making people feel peaceful. She's been the only thing that's kept me going, kept me alive.. That and finding you guys again one day. Especially when I remembered what actually happened to me that day._

He holds her hand and sighs a few moments as he said quietly, "C'mon, pixie dust. This isn't like the time you were four and I told you I was not getting you a pony because you'd fall off then you gave me the eyes and I did break down and buy you that pony only to have you actually fall off.. This really is scaring me. Dr. Drake and your half brother Lucas seem to think you ought to be awake by now. If you don't wake up soon.. I won't think like that. You even made your aunt Ava cry a little, okay? You're scaring all of us. Daddy is getting impatient with you. Get your butt back here among the living." he tried using his best 'dad is annoyed' fatherly tone wit her, it used to work when she was littler, as he dropped to a whisper and added, "You have to fight.. We spent so much time looking.. Then grieving because we thought we lost you."

"Julian's right, honey.. If you can hear me, this is Mom.. Carrie is so beautiful, just like you were at her age. Very bright. I might even convince her to be my little lawyer. We need to have a serious talk about her father when you're awake, however, because I do not like the jerk.. And your sister's found all these things about your life since.. I just want you to know, Avaleigh, even when we had no hope left, I still had a little that you were out there."

_oh.. Mom.. don't cry.. I always hated it when you'd get upset and.. I can't wake up. I'm trying, I really am. I want to be alive again. I want to live. I don't want to die. I want to stick around, meet my little sisters, my half brother.. And my nephew, and the baby Kristina's carrying.. I just.. Every time I try to come back.. HELP._

A male speaks up. "Hi.. I'm Lucas.. I'm your brother.. My boyfriend Brad, he's the guy who comes in at night, makes sure you're still hanging in there when I'm not here. I always wanted a little sister so you really, really gotta wake up. A lot of us are pulling for you, I mean Nathan West.. he told me you damn near slugged him to get away, get to Carrie and save her from the car falling. Point is, kiddo.. You have to wake up."

_Trust me, Lucas. I'm trying.. But not calling me kiddo, kapeesh? I want to meet you too. And Brad, he's a funny guy, he told me the worst jokes ever last night. He loves you a lot, Lucas, he told me that last night.. And I hope you're not worried about me not accepting your lifestyle. I'm totally fine with it.. Nathan's that sexy cop right? Yeah, I stomped his foot and ALMOST got to Carrie.. But that other sexy cop.. He did something really, really brave.. he went in after her. I think.. If I weren't so messed up and I could wake up, I'd wanna get to know those guys.. _

"I.. I can't say.. You have to stick around.. I'm getting married soon, Avaleigh.. You have to see me get married. I mean growing up, Molly and I used to hear all sorts of stories about you and Sam, and what you guys used to do to drive Mom and Julian insane.. I always wanted to meet you.. Now you're here and.." as another male says quietly, "C'mon luv.. Don't get upset, aye?" before sitting down in the chair next to the bed and introducing himself as Ethan, her sister's fiancee. He tells her about the baby, about how he works on a casino boat that he owns part of with his best friend Johnny and his younger sister Lulu, who is married to Johnny.

_You sound like.. Are you from Australia? I'm picturing Mick Dundee when you talk. It's kinda funny, actually.. You seem like a good guy, if you hurt my sister though I will kick your ass, got it? I'm trying to wake up.. Just do not let her get too upset. Make her leave and sleep if you have to._

Another male speaks up, says quietly "I'm Rafe.. Molly's my girlfriend.. And you're really scaring her. She always talked about you when I first met her. I was where you are not so long ago. You have to find the light. Trust me. You'll know what I'm talking about when it happens." as Molly says quietly, "He's right.. I was with him.. And for a while, I was out too. I mean not as long as he was but.. It scared me.. You see everything you ever did, things you never got to do.. If you want to do those things, Avaleigh.. You have to wake up." as Avaleigh felt warm soft hands holding hers. She felt her sisters tears dripping down onto her hands and she wanted to wake up already.

A nurse announced the end of visiting hours and the room went quiet.. For a little while.. And then, around midnight, if Avaleigh had to guess, the male with the heavy Benson Hurst Italian accent walked in, flopped down. She felt hair being brushed out of her eyes, felt the bed dip down and felt Carrie settling in next to her. For a few moments, the man said nothing. She knew it was him, however, because he wore a certain kind of cologne, different from that of her other nightly male visitor.

Finally, he speaks. The whole time he is, she feels his finger trailing slowly over her hand. "Work was hell today, Bella donna.. Three robbery attempts, one bar room brawl in which I'm pretty damn sure I got insulted in Portugese.. Can you even hear me when I come in at night? I think ya can. I also think ya need to wake up already. Ya kinda scarin me here. I mean I don't know ya well.. I'd like to. But for that to happen, you gotta open those pretty brown eyes of yours, huh? I.. Hell, I probably shouldn't have said that. I barely know ya.. It's just when I saw you that night, I kinda.. I noticed 'em." as someone hisses from the hallway and Dante, the male who'd just been speaking hisses "Gimme a sec, Lucas." before leaning over and saying quietly, "I'm a lot better at this romancin thing when the other party is awake. I'm tryin though.. But it's like I said.. I haven't really stopped thinking about you that night. Pulling both of ya out of that car.. I just.. It's gonna sound sketchy as hell but have ya ever just looked at someone and felt something? Something just clicked? I'm not givin up on ya wakin up either. I'll come in every damn night and annoy ya if that's what it takes."

_-laughs to herself- Thanks, dante.. When I wake up, I'll do something to thank you for savin my baby girl and me.. You did pull me out of the car too I think?. I actually noticed you that night too. We kinda just stared at each other.. You also pulled me outta the car, didn't ya? Wait, I said that already.. See what those big muscles and that dimple of yours does to a lady, man? Do you just try and see what you can do or get into to get that adrenaline pumping, I wonder? I highly doubt I'm a beautiful woman, my sis Sam.. She was always lots prettier than me. And i'm kinda messed up right now.. Baggage and such.. But if I didn't have thoes things, officer, I'd love to get to know you better. By the way, you got a nice ass.. For an Italian guy. hey, I'm a mom.. Doesn't mean I'm a nun and I don't notice these things. I'm pretty sure you are better at this 'romancin thing'.. I bet girls literally drop the panties. For me? You're gonna have to work a little harder. I mean my kid loves ya, that's a plus for you already._

Finally, about an hour or so later, long after Officer 1, Dante, has left and went home, obviously snuck in by her brother Lucas, a female opens the door and mutters to another male, probably Officer 2, the much quieter of the two, the one with insanely intense and very gorgeous ice blue eyes if she has to remember correctly, or moreso, the one she almost 'punched out'.. " Lucky our mother is chief of staff." the woman remarks as the male chuckles and says something to his sister obviously, and walks in, sits down. "I can't get you out of my head. I know you probably hate me because I'm the guy who was trying to stop you from saving your baby but.. I just felt something, okay? And the problem is.. I think my partner Dante, that other guy, well, I know he did." as he pauses, leans in, pulls the cover up a little over her and then places something, probably more flowers, the guy will have her room looking like a flower garden when she wakes, she's almost 90 percent certain.. he finally continues to speak, "Your ex showed up today. Took two of the other guys to hold me back. He's popping off about getting a lawyer, fighting to get his kid back.. But I know enough about the guy to know Carrie needs her mom.. And I'd like to get to know her mom.. She's a pretty little girl.. Really smart too. She wants you to wake up and so do I.. maybe then we can go get something to eat and I can actually get to know you, huh? Wow.. I'm really, really bad at making conversation.."

He fell silent and Avaleigh answered mentally, _"Cant get me out of your head, huh? And you think your partner, that other guy, likes me too? Neither of you realize just how messed up I've gotten during my life.. I have to get back on my feet first.. I have to deal with this ex situation and I will be doing that as soon as I'm awake. Because I will be waking up. thanks for covering me up. kind of chilly in here, no? Like I said with the other guy, I wanna get to know you too.."_

And then he too had to leave. She knew what Rafe was talking about earlier, the light, when she saw it finally a few hours later...


	5. TWO DIFFERENT DREAMS - INTERLUDE 2

FOOTNOTE.. BUT AT THE TOP.

**{****VOTE NOW ON POLL.} Okay, seriously, I love you all so much right now, I've only actually posted 4 chapters and it's gotten five reviews! Yay! I was worried it was horrible or something. I love everyone who has reviewed, so very much.**

**Side note: Adding JoLu to the couples list because I never got into Lante, I always liked Jo Lu better. Also, it keeps things neat and tidy for story purposes. So yes, JoLu is a thing in here.**

**A couple things about this chapter off the bat.. I decided to write out two very distinct visions if you will.. One features our favorite Benson Hurst babe, Dante and the other features that oh so sexy Nathan West. Sort of another way to sway you guys? I'm thinking also, that maybe her mind is showing her things that could be, if only she chooses to wake up, go to the light or whatever?  
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**Also, it's another way of prolonging her doing that. BTW, POLL IS UP. VOTE!**

**The vision that Olivia's had that was previously mentioned, is the thing Avaleigh actually imagines with Dante (that can become real if I get enough votes/persuasion of my own to use him, if he does wind up being the direction I go wit hthis one, the below 'dream' will be important later on in the story, actually)... The other one, for Nathan, is just a dream her mind creates. Remember, she's seen them both once, vaguely, the night of the wreck. And she is in a coma, her mind is essentially doing all these different crazy things to pass the time while her body heals or tries to. But the choice is ultimately for you guys.. I'm fine with it being either Dante or Nathan, they're both hot as hell and neither have many x oc romantic stories just for them.**

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><p><em>Dream 1 - Dante<em>

_"Shh! He's comin, mommy. He just gotted offa the elev.. The box stairs." Carrie giggled as Avaleigh hurriedly shoved the German Chocolate cake out of sight and turned out the lights in the loft apartment she was currently sharing with boyfriend Dante Falconeri. The door opened and Dante called their names, he sounded panicked for a moment, her ex has been sniffing around lately, trying to fight Avaleigh for custody.. Sort of the reason shes currently living at Dante's. "Okay, where are my girls?" Dante asked as he looked around. He hears a giggle from beneath the kitchen island and a easy smirk forms on his face as he remembers that Carrie likes to hide down there and just sort of pop out. The first time she did it to him it scared the hell out of him._

_Now, with her living there, with both of them living there, he was getting used to a lot of things that previously, he never thought or hoped he'd get the chance to. He slips off his leather jacket and starts to count and claps._

_Tiny hands clap back twice._

_Avaleigh laughs to herself and then hisses quietly, "This is Daddy's birthday surprise, hon. Who's side are you on anyway, huh?" as Carrie giggles, shrugs and tries not to clap back two more times when he claps once again. Avaleigh smiles to herself in the dark when Dante walks right past her, hidden, or so she thinks at least.. Dante smirks as her soft hands go over his eyes, her chest presses against his back from behind and she nuzzles his neck. "Happy birthday, Superman. Stop any trains with your hand today? Or are you onto catching bullets and throwin 'em back yet?"_

_"Haha.. Somebody's got jokes tonight, huh?" Dante asks as he turns around, pulls her into a kiss. This, of course, brings Carrie out of hiding and she pops out of the cabinets and runs for his legs, scampers up his body. "Happy birthday!" she chirps as she nuzzles her face against his and then asks, "Can ya come to class tomorrow, Daddy? It's Bring a Parent day.." as Avaleigh smiles.. Normally, she'd be upset, but the fact that her little girl has practically thrived since meeting Dante, and Avaleigh loves him also stops her from being upset. She actually suggested Carrie ask him, saying she'd go the next time._

_Poor Carrie, however, tried at least ten minutes to get the teacher to 'just let her bring them both.' which wound up not working. _

_Dante chuckles and nods then nuzzles her cheek. he sniffs the air and asks Avaleigh, "Cake?"_

_"Duh.. That is what you give Superman on his birthday, is it not?" Avaleigh asks as she smiles to herself. She has one more little bitty surprise for him, but that'll come later when Carrie's passed out on a sugar crash.. Because they both need to discuss just how to tell Carrie that in a matter of months she will be a big sister.. Because Carrie, for the most part, has been an only child. Now that Avaleigh has found her family and reconnected to them, started to heal from her past, granted, Carrie has been a very spoiled little girl as are the rest of the 'babies' in the Davis family, but.. Being a big sister is a huge step. A fact that Avaleigh is finding out now herself.. She's had more big sister little sister moments in the past year than she ever dreamt of, one of which was happening tomorrow.. She'd be watching Kristina Corinthos Davis become Kristina Corinthos Davis Lovett.. _

_And tonight, she'd celebrate her second 'happy' milestone with a man she couldn't stop kissing, touching.. She was so excited she was practically glowing at the thought. Dante nudges her and asks "You okay?'_

_"I have a surprise for you later."_

_"Do ya now?" Dante asks, teasing grin on his face. Avaleigh mocks the zipping of her lips and nods as she adds, "Your mom had to help me on the Alfredo.. I tried doing the sauce like her directions said, turns out it ain't as easy as it looks." which makes him chuckle and ask, "So.. What'd you two talk about while she was here, huh?"_

_"Oh nothing.." Avaleigh smiles as Dante catches the smile and whispers something to Carrie. Moments later, she's laughing so hard she cannot stop as Carrie sits on her and both tickles and kisses her while Dante tickles her also, asks casually, "So.. You spoke of food? Maybe we can eat that while you tell me your surprise, huh?"_

_"Later.. About the surprise I mean. But we can eat now, totally. I'm starved."_

_Later, Carrie is sleeping between them on the bed in the next room, Dante rolls over and says quietly, "I'm gonna miss this when she gets older, ya know?" as Avaleigh gives a giggle and says "Actually, Superman.. Gonna get to go through all of it.. I found out why I've been feeling crummy today."_

_Dante's face lights up as he puts two and two together and smirks. "You're?"_

_"Mhmm.. According to Britt, I'm at least a month along. You, Superman, are gonna be a daddy." Avaleigh mutters quietly as her fingers trail slowly over his face. She wrinkles her nose when his stubble grazes her face and informs him, "You gotta shave.. Tomorrow."_

_"Meh, thought I'd wait."_

_"Think again, Dante.. THink again."_

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><p><em>DREAM 2 - Nathan<em>

_Giggles can be heard from the den of the apartment. Nathan is attempting to do sit ups, however, he's also lifting Carrie in the air too, making plane noises. Avaleigh watches them, smiling softly to herself as she flips through the television. The storm outside picks up in intensity and the power flickers.. Then a few moments later, it goes off. It's a rainy and hot summer night, Nathan's home, he was off tonight, thank God, there was something on the news earlier about a shootout on the docks, Avaleigh watched in fear when they told about it because A, her father owned the property in question and B, Nathan was a cop.. If they needed him, he'd be called out on a moments notice. _

_"Maybe we should open a window, huh." she muses aloud as she continues watching Nathan and fans herself with a newspaper, the Times, and lifts her hair up. Nathan walks over, sits down behind her, Carrie flops down on the other side of them, burrowing down, burying her face in Nathan's chest when lightning lights up the sky and thunder sounds with a noisy crack, making her tense.. "Know what I used to do when the lights went out?" Nathan asked as Avaleigh blushes all over when his lips graze the back of her neck. She, of course, is picturing something totally the opposite of his intent, she's picturing the last rainy hot summer night, about a month ago, when her sister Sam and Sam's boyfriend Silas had Carrie for a night and she and Nathan were left to their own devices during a summer storm/blackout._

_"Not that.. Not right now." Nathan whispers as Avaleigh turns to look at him. He suggests casually, "We're gonna need pillows.. And a huge blanket.."_

_"A couch fort?" Carrie asks excitedly as nathan leans down, brushes a kiss to the little girls forehead and says with a smile, "We're going camping, girls. Right here in the living room."_

_Carrie claps her hands together with glee and she jumps down, goes to find pillows, blankets, everything she wants to go camping in her living room. While she's gone to do that, Avaleigh rolls over and looks up at nathan, says quietly, "So.. I don't actually have a summer cold."_

_"Oh really.. You're okay though, right? I mean you've been sick almost 3 weeks now, baby.. I'm starting to worry." Nathan asks as he eyes her in concern. She pulls herself up and leans in, her forehead meeting his as she whispers quietly and quickly, "Well, on a night kinda like this one.." as she nods to the storm raging outside, "we did more than we thought.."_

_His face lights up and he pulls her down on top of him, holds her against him. "So that's what Britt was grinning about earlier and why my mother was dropping all these subtle hints about the family name." Nathan mused as Avaleigh frowned a moment and said "So she figured it out and indirectly told you? Darn it." as he shook his head and said "Not really.." as the flat of his hand rests across her stomach when she's rolled onto her side. Carrie runs back into the room, pillows and the oversized blue and gray blanket from their bed. "I forgotted something, I be right back." she says as she giggles and gives them both a kiss. She emerges a few moments later with the marshmellows and a big book. "You gotta finish readin me Rumplestiltskin."_

_nathan nodded and smiled, then stood, pulled Avaleigh up carefuly as he looked at the couch and announced, "WE're gonna need these pillows too, I think. The bigger the tent is, the better." as he starts to move and stack and arrange the couch cushions and pillows. A few moments later, he and Carrie put the blanket over the top just as Avaleigh has finished making s'mores in the microwave after getting begging eyes (and a few neck kisses in Nathan's case) from both nathan and Carrie and she emerges from the kitchen to find Nathan and Carrie already in the tent, reading the book of fairy tales by the light of nathan's police issued mag light. Carrie is curled on his lap and Avaleigh looks at her and whispers to Nathan, "And I really wish I knew how you did that.. Every single time.. You always manage to get her to go to sleep right off the bat almost."_

_"I don't know.. " he mutters as he takes a s'more and settles Carrie into a better position for sleeping then smooshes Avaleigh against him. The cool air from the rain blows in the window cooling them off a little and he looks down and smiles as he realizes that both of his girls are asleep and again, they're using Dad as a body pillow._


	6. Chapter 3

FOOTNOTE.. BUT AT THE TOP.

**{****VOTE NOW ON POLL.} Okay, seriously, I love you all so much right now, I've only actually posted 5 chapters and it's gotten holy hell, eight reviews! Yay! I was worried it was horrible or something. I love everyone who has reviewed, so very much.**

**Side note: Adding JoLu to the couples list because I never got into Lante, I always liked Jo Lu better. Also, it keeps things neat and tidy for story purposes. So yes, JoLu is a thing in here.**

**A couple things about this chapter off the bat.. She finally wakes up. The truth comes out also.. And then the fun begins, hehe. Also, this chapter is Dante's individual chemistry test. Nathans is next, I promise, girls. Because I love both those sexy men. So far, votes are tied. :)**

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><p>Alexis had been sitting there quietly, brushing her fingers through her second oldest daughters hair and basically praying with everything she had that Avaleigh woke up when Sam burst in and flopped down, held out an envelope out to Alexis. At the exact same time, almost, Alexis heard her daughter saying quietly, "M-mom?" and she froze.. Did she open the envelope first, and risk getting all her hopes dashed, or did she tend to the girl in question. She turned around slowly and looked over at Avaleigh just in time to see Avaleigh's eyes fluttering open.<p>

Sam stood and rushed out the door, down the hallway shouting for Patrick, who was the only doctor she knew and trusted other than Silas currently on duty. Then she ran down the hall farther and into Silas office. "She's awake!" she said in a rush as Silas smiled, stood and moved around his desk to hug her. "So.. Does your mom know you kinda already opened and read the test results?"

"How'd you know?" Sam asked as Silas snickered a moment and then said "Because, babe. I know you too well." as he stared down at her for a few moments then leaned, kissed her on the forehead and asked "Well? Is she your sister?"

Sam smiled brightly and about that time, Alexis could be heard having an uncharacteristic and quite noisy moment of triumphant joy as she shrieked "I KNEW IT! I JUST KNEW IT WHEN I SAW YOU!" as Sam laughed to herself, shook her head and after giving Silas another slow kiss she said quietly, "I have to go find my brother now, he'll be pissed if she's woken up and nobody told him."

"I'll be down in a few moments. To meet her in person." Silas said with a smile as Sam hugged him and said quietly, "You helped a lot, trying to find out the truth." as Silas said quietly, "When you love someone, you help them do what they need to do." as Sam walked out and down the hallway. She found Lucas and Brad talking to Felix in the break room and she hugged her brother and said quietly, "She woke up.. And I found out that she really is my sister.. And Helena, the bitch, is the one who was behind taking her. They were supposed to grab me that night too, but I managed to run off or something. The whole thing made my skin crawl."

Lucas nodded and said with a smile as he hugged his sister, "I'm gonna walk down with Brad and Felix in just a second." as Sam nodded and then said "Did you see where Molly and Rafe or Kristina and Ethan went earlier? I know they took Carrie out for a little while, to take her mind off things, but I can't remember where the y said they went and both K and Molly's phones are in the hospital room charging."

Lucas thought it over a few moments and then said "I think they took Carrie to get some clothes. Julian gave them money, told them to go get her some clothes to wear just in case.. You know.." As Sam nodded and said quietly, "Thank God it didn't come to that, huh?" while biting her lower lip. Brad and Felix spoke up, urged Lucas, "C'mon.. We'll all go down together.. You've been worried nonstop, my man." as Lucas nodded and said "Yeah, before Obrecht calls off our break and we don't get another one until late."

On the way out, Lucas said mildly to Britt, "If Nathan still wanted to know.. Avaleigh just woke up." to which Britt nodded and smiled a little, thanking him. The things Britt had done in the name of finding a man put her at odds with a lot of her co workers. They were civil now, more than they had been when Britt's misdeeds actually first came out, but.. Things around her were still tense. Probably why Lucas, Brad and Felix all had plans to sort of get Dante and Avaleigh together before Britt could get her brother's foot in the door.

Because Lucas liked Nathan, yes, but Dante he knew a lot better. He didn't know Nathan that well, really. And not that he didn't trust the guy, but.. Britt was his sister and Obrecht was his mother, so.. In a nutshell, he'd have to actually see more proof where Nathan was concerned.

"Okay, guys, do not bum rush her." Lucas warned as Brad and Felix exchanged looks and then laughed and pointed out "Hello.. Medical professionals here?" which made Lucas laugh.

In the food court of the mall, Rafe and Molly scanned the stores surrounding for Ethan and Kristina and Carrie. Molly groaned when Ethan emerged from a toy store carrying not only a giant stuffed panda, but a slightly smaller scale yet still large stuffed zebra. Molly grumbled and Rafe wondered aloud, "Just where the hell does he think he's putting those.. I don't exactly drive a big car, ya know." as Molly said "I know." and spotted Kristina who ran over from the direction of the bathrooms and said with a smile, "Mom just called. I had to pee, okay? Pregnant here? Anyway, we need to get Carrie and get back to the .." stopping in midsentence when she spotted Ethan and Carrie and the two other members of this outing, two very large stuffed animals. "One of them, luv" Ethan pointed out as he gave Kristina a kiss and finished, "Is for our little one."

"I gotted a zebra!" Carrie interjected as she shuffled brand new glittery black and pink converses against the mall's tan stone flooring. Kristina laughed and then read the t shirt and looked at Molly who said "She liked it."

"And you will not be dressing my little girl." Kristina teased gently as Molly poked out her tongue and said "Try me, K." with Rafe and Ethan shaking their heads and laughing. "So we got her some clothes, right? Not just toys.." Kristina asked as she eyed Ethan sternly.

Rafe spoke up and said "Actually, he's not the only one.. I might have gotten her that talking Elmo?" as Molly groaned, palmed her face and asked, "The one that speaks when you just walk by it?"

Rafe shrugged, raked his hand over his hair and then said "What? She gave me the eyes, Molly.. You do that too, ya know.. And it works on me. I can't help that." as Molly pointed out, "Avaleigh's awake. Mom just texted me too." as Carrie screeched and the four semi adults looked at her, Molly giggling as Kristina leaned down and picked up her niece, sat her on her lap and asked, "Want to go see mommy now?"

"Please? She scart me!" Carrie asked as the group made their way out to the parking lot, got into their car, drove back to the hospital. They'd just gotten there when Julian parked his own SUV next to their car and shook his head as he noticed the giant sized zebra that Carrie was toting, barely. He bent to pick her up then said "Put the clothes and stuff in the back. For now, we'll let Carrie keep out the zebra, huh pixie dust?" to which Carrie nodded excitedly and said "Molly letted me play Farmville."

Julian chuckled and smiling said "Let's go see your mom now. Did you have fun with your aunts today?" at which point Carrie began talking a mile a minute. She'd had a few days now to get used to all the new faces in her life and she was starting to warm to all of them. She still had her shy moments of course, like her meeting with Luke a night or two ago when Julian and Luke crossed paths in Kelly's Diner. Julian, however, was confident that given time and support, both mother and daughter would gradually begin to be okay again.

By now, he'd gotten both Sam and his own guy to do some heavy digging into everything Avaleigh might have went through while being gone. He'd been sickened by nearly all he'd found and if Helena were alive to get his hands on her, he was almost certain he'd be wearing an orange jumpsuit right now, because he'd actually get his hands dirty to kill this woman.

Especially finding out that she had been the one to have one of Julian's worst enemies other than Sonny Corinthos have Sam taken for almost 14 hours when Sam had just turned two.

Ava parked beside him and got out, asked stiffly, "Well? Did she finally decide to use some of that fight she got from her daddy and wake up?" as Sam walked down and rolled her eyes upon seeing Ava there. She took Carrie and shot Ethan a raised brow when Kristina pointed at him and explained, "Blame him. He's the one who said she just had to have it."

Ethan shrugged and pointed out, "To be fair, I got our child a panda that's probably man sized." as Sam shook her head and laughed then reminded Kristina, "He did get Danny that nearly my sized Autobot for his room when he saw how much Danny liked watching the Transformers movies." as Ethan pointed out, "Not like I'm actually wasting the money, aye?"

"He's just sooooo sweet." Kristina teased her lover as she stood on tiptoe to nuzzle his cheek with hers and kissed him on the lips. He smiled into the kiss and then said "So.. Looks like it'll be crowded.. We should go up and get in, luv." Kristina nodded and the couple made their way into the hospital with Rafe and Molly on their heels, neither couple wanting to spend any more time than absolutely necessary around Ava Jerome, she wasn't a very well liked 'family' member by them due to things she'd done to people they cared about.

Lot of tension and sore subjects there, actually.

"Why the hell did he have to call her?" Kristina asked as Molly shrugged and Ethan spoke up then said quietly, "She's Avaleigh's family too. I mean grated, we all probably hate her equally. But she is Julian's sister. Makes sense he'd want her here to see her niece awake."

"But we don't." Molly and Kristina asserted as they looked at one another, back at Ava who was in deep conversation with Julian currently, finding out everything that was going on thus far with her niece. Of the two children, she'd doted on both equally although, she'd actually gotten to spend more time with Sam. Avaleigh got kidnapped before Ava really got to bond with her as an aunt. And seeing her brother go through so many years of pain, though she was a selfish woman, hurt on some level.

The group gradually made their way upward and into the private room they'd finally put Avaleigh in, finding Avaleigh sitting up in bed, talking to Sam and Alexis already while holding Carrie in her lap. Avaleigh smiled as the rest of her family filled her room and she said quietly, "I was telling Mom and Sam that I actually heard all of you while I was out. It was weird.. Like no matter how hard I tried I couldn't just wake up." and looked at them, trying to put faces with names as far as her two younger sisters Kristina and Molly. The door opened during all this and Spencer Cassadine and his father Nikolas walked in, Nikolas walking over and leaning down, hugging Avaleigh as he said "You gave us all a scare." while holding out orchids. He remembered that she'd loved them in the gardens at Wyndmere when she'd been smaller, before she'd gotten taken, so he and Spencer had been out picking them before they came today.

"And who's this little cutie?" Avaleigh asked as she smiled at Spencer who gave a big grin right back and said "I like her, dad." as Nikolas teasingly told his son, "I knew you'd say that." before looking at Avaleigh and saying with a smile, "My son Spencer. He's probably about as big a handful as you used to be when you were around his age."

Avaleigh shook her head and smiled, she remembered all that now, thankfully. Sam spoke up and started to help Avaleigh explain who'd held her hostage for so long and what happened after Helena chose to trick Julian and Alexis into thinking their child was dead. Molly g aped during the story and asked quietly, "Are you.. I mean are you okay?"

"It is what it is, Molly. I can't go back and unlive it, as much as I'd love to. But I never believed the crap she told me about Mom and Dad either, I think that's what made her cut her losses and give me up. Not to mention I kept escaping and she couldn't be bothered with me when she realized just how much rage I could hold in and let go at will." Avaleigh admitted as Kristina nodded and said quietly, "That guy.. Carrie's dad.. What about him?"

"If I ever see that man again, he will be leaving in a body bag. I met him when I was young and stupid. I believed his lies and I wound up almost dying because I'd let him keep talking me into staying." Avaleigh admitted, ashamed at herself for doing it now that she thought about it. But those people.. They made her believe that her parents were dead, she'd never have her family back, that she was lucky to have them even, because Helena, her own flesh and blood, her supposed guardian as they'd been lead to believe, couldn't even get her to behave properly.

Now she knew why.

Sam spoke up and said with a smile, "I'm glad you're home, baby sis." as Avaleigh nodded and said quietly, "Me too.. I wouldn't be here right now though, if I hadn't gotten pulled out of my car that night. I never would've come to in time." while biting her lower lip. The nurse peeked in and said casually, "We're going to have to run tests in a few minutes." which made her family members grumble, of course, but Avaleigh said calmly, "I'm not gonna go back out again, okay? They just have to do this and make sure I'm not going to have any side effects I guess." as the nurse nodded and then added, "And the tests won't take long. Promise. Believe me, I know if it were my family, I'd want to spend all the time I could with them too." as Avaleigh grumbled and looked at her father as she asked, "Seriously dad? Front page?"

"I had to brag about my daughter coming home somehow, okay?" Julian said as he added, "And I'm getting guards on you two. Not taking any chances. Especially after what got sent to my office today. Apparently, Avaleigh, this ex of yours is going to try and get custody of Carrie. Not going to let that happen either."as Alexis nodded and said calmly, "I'm already working on that, Julian. We don't have to worry." as Sam nodded and then said casually, "So.. Any thoughts on where you'll stay?"

Her parents answered before she could but she said "And at your house too." to be fair. She'd missed so much time with her big sister, they'd always been close and she wanted to catch up on that. The nurse shooed them all out and she leaned back, drained for the moment. The past few days had been the hardest fought ones she'd ever endured. She'd had every mental torment she could live through thrust at her and she'd finally come back to her family. The nurse asked her "So.. My brother told me you two had an interesting first meeting?"

"Nathan, right? Yeah.. I tried to punch him maybe because I was trying to get to Carrie. Dante got her out though, thank God." as Britt agreed and said "He comes in here to vist you every night."

So sue her, she was his sister, she was going to plead Nathan's case. She knew he was still dealing with the aftermath of Maxie's moving to live with some other guy and she knew that he seemed to feel some sort of connection to the girl lying in the hospital bed. "All set. Your regular nurse this shift will be Liz Webber. She's pretty good. But I had to come in, one of her other patients paged for her." Britt explained as she said "Your little girl's really pretty. You did a brave thing getting away from that guy. I think everyone in the hospital heard him the night he came here and tried to take Carrie out."

"He did what? He's so fucking dead, I swear to God.. When I get out of this bed, I will be finding him and killing him. He's not gonna scare me anymore. I let him for too long." Avaleigh asserted as Britt shook her head and said quietly, "He seemed off.. I'd leave it alone.. get a restraining order. Your family just got you back. Your daughter needs her mom." as she thought about Ben, the little boy she'd lost when Johnny and Lulu tried to have a baby and she'd stolen their embryo, they'd discovered that and taken her to court over it.

She'd lost Ben then. Now Ben was living with them and he had a happy home, but it was not the same. She'd had enough time to grow attached, to think herself his mother. So she knew the joys of being a mom and the pain at losing those joys. And sometimes she wondered if the little boy thought about her at all.

A few moments later, her half brother and his boyfriend, their best friend Felix came in and Felix said with a smirk, "Here.."

"If Ephiphany finds out you snuck my sister french fries in here, man.." Lucas warned as he leaned down, hugged his younger half sister against him and said "I am so glad you're awake, kiddo." which made her laugh and taking a french fry, she looked at the milkshake in Brad's hands longingly. Lucas looked around and pulled one out of his coat.

"Okay you three, outta here. I smelled the fries you are all busted." Alexis said as she stepped back into the room and Avaleigh pouted. Alexis gave her a gentle scolding smile and the rest of her family filtered back in, Julian chuckling at Lucas trying to sneak in 'contraband' to his sister. He'd often imagined what it might have been like had things went differently, if he had a rewind button for life.

Now it seemed like the man might be getting to see that first hand.

And that made him very happy. Carrie ran over to her mom's bed, scampered up and hugged her mommy before giving her a sour look and announcing "You can't do that again ever. It scared me!" as Avaleigh smoothed her hands over her daughters hair and said quietly, "It scared mommy too, baby." as Carrie nodded and said quietly, "I come to see ya all the time though."

"I know baby girl, I heard you." Avaleigh giggled as Carrie added in a whisper, "And those cops punched mean daddy. It was awesome!" as Sam laughed and shook her head, spoke up to say "I agree with Dad. Guards are definitely the way to go. Just until we figure out what his deal is.. Because he slept in the parking lot in his car a few nights.. I worry he was planning to sneak in and sneak Carrie out."

"Me too.. He was getting scarier at the end." Avaleigh admitted quietly, fearful for a few moments. She worried she'd never be free of her ex.. That Carrie would always flinch when she was around a larger male and he tried to hug her or something. Of course, she'd been out, she had no idea yet that at least that theory and fear had already been shattered.

She worried that she'd stayed too long, afraid to leave and that Carrie was somehow damaged.

They sat talking until visiting hours ended and then her parents remained even after she told them to go home, get some sleep and promised she would not be out again. The nurses when they came in to check on her tried to make her get some sleep but she told them simple that she'd slept too long and she'd missed practically a lifetime in the past few days.. But in reality, she was just wondering which of her mystery males she'd have the pleasure of seeing first.. And around ten, she got her answer when the door opened and Dante made his way in as she lie there in the dark.

Dante sat down in the chair next to the bed, announced again like he usually did that he was there.. His hand went to her hair to move it out of her eyes and he stepped back and blinked when her hand closed over his hand and she said in a quiet voice, "Thanks.. I can never thank you enough, officer, for saving my daughters life and mine.."

"You're awake." he said in shock as he raked his hand through his hair and chuckled. She smiled to herself in the dark and said "Yeah.. I woke up this morning, actually. You're a very persistant guy." as he asked, "So you did hear me?"

"Yeah, Casanova, I heard you.. I need time, okay? I just need to stand on my own.. Getting out of a really, really bad thing. I mean you already know that, though because according to my baby girl you and that other guy punched him out and it was awesome." Avaleigh said as Dante chuckled and asked "She told you, huh?"

"She did. We don't really keep things from each other, Dante.. That is your name, right?" as she removed her hand from where it rested still on top of his and reached out to flip the switch to light the room dimly. He smiled and she smiled back, bit her lower lip as she said quietly, "So.."

"So..."

"How was work today? Stop any robberies? Bar room brawls?" she asked as she leaned forwards a little, eyed him intently. She did have to retract previous thoughts.. The man wasn't just good looking.. he was distractingly handsome. She held his gaze and said with a smallish soft smile, "I mean that is what you do when you come in here.. You tell me about your day mostly. This doesn't have to be totally awkward."

"Believe it or not, bella donna, today was a slow day. I think I got one call out and it was some drunk guy who lost his car in a parking lot and was causing a scene." Dante said as he laughed and started to tell her about it. "How was your day? I mean I've kinda heard everything.. Get to meet your family?" he asked as he smiled at her and she nodded, smiled as she said "I did. I can't wait to hurry up and get outta here. Being bedridden is not my strong suit."

"Yeah, you're kinda stubborn like that. Cute but stubborn." Dante admitted as she raised a brow and asked "How so?"

"Because the entire time I was trying to get you back to where the EMT parked, you kept fighting me too. I told you a thousand times I think that I promised I was gonna go back after Carrie. But you didn't believe me. Also you got this thing against being picked up." Dante said as he chuckled, raked his hand over his hair. She sighed and said quietly, "Good reason for it too, trust me. Big part of why I said that now, up front, as opposed to later, I need time before I even think about anything else.. Not that I may or may not have already, I mean being out like that gives a girl a lot of time to think.." she said quietly as she held his gaze.

"I bet it does." he said back quietly as he added, "I got all the time in the world though. Like you said.. I'm kind of persistant like that." as she smiled. He finally made himself leave and told her he'd come back the next day. She smiled and told him she'd look forward to it. And then she was left to sleep and think about everything that happened to her.

And she came to the conclusion that she was going to make the most of the second chance she'd gotten. Almost dying puts a lot of things into perspective. And she was sick of being too damn afraid to fight back. She was home now, with her family. If she could fight to get back here, she figured she could face pretty much anything else in her way down.


	7. Chapter 4

FOOTNOTE.. BUT AT THE TOP.

**{****VOTE NOW ON POLL.} Okay, seriously, I love you all so much right now, I've only actually posted 5 chapters and it's gotten holy hell, eight reviews! Yay! I was worried it was horrible or something. I love everyone who has reviewed, so very much.**

**Side note: Adding JoLu to the couples list because I never got into Lante, I always liked Jo Lu better. Also, it keeps things neat and tidy for story purposes. So yes, JoLu is a thing in here.**

**A couple things about this chapter off the bat.. She finally wakes up. The truth comes out also.. And then the fun begins, hehe. And now, ladies we have Nathan's chemistry test. Because I love both those sexy men. So far, votes are tied still. VOTE.. Because I'm torn and bigamy is illegal, haha.**

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><p>"Seriously, sis? Footloose, again?" Avaleigh asked as Sam sat on one side of her and her cousin Kiki sat on the other side, Kiki elbowing her as she said simply, "Hey. Shhh.. It's ladies night in, okay?" to which Kristina and Molly nodded, giggled in agreement, Molly added, "We have to watch Magic Mike next." as eyes riveted to her and Kiki mused aloud, "That's not a half bad idea, actually.. Speaking of Magic Mike.. Are we gonna tell Avaleigh what her brother does every year for the Nurses ball?"<p>

"Oh.. It's not JUST Lucas." Sam added as she smirked and mocked an earlier 'daydream' that her sister had obviously been having in which she'd apparently been getting quite intimate with one Nathan West while sleeping.. So intmiate, in fact that she'd called out his name which sent all the other females in the room into a fit of hysterical laughter.

And then, about an hour later, the same thing happened, only this time, she called out Dante's name.

"What's that supposed to mean, Sam?" Avaleigh asked as she tried to pinch Sam's cheek but Sam dodged and then went for Avaleigh's very ticklish feet instead. "Oh just that this past year Lucas got not only Nathan but Dante also to dance with the Magic Milo act in the ball. I wish you'd have been back with us for that, you would have had one hell of a time, Avaleigh."

"Whoa.. When you say Magic Milo... Are they?"

"Mhmm." Kristina answered as Avaleigh bit her lower lip, turned three shades of pink and muttered something to herself that when she was asked to repeat it, she pleaded the 5th and then said "Anyway girls, I have baggage and a past full of shit to work through before I even consider dating again." as the girls went back to watching the 80's classic, Footloose.

It'd been a favorite movie of Sam and Avaleigh's when they were little, Avaleigh mostly because she loved to dance, she'd been quite the baby ham, actually. The movie started and Avaleigh asked curiously, "Is there footage of this performance? Just curious." as Molly paused the movie and Kristina giggled, Kiki shrieked triumphantly, "I KNEW IT" and Sam shook her head and laughed then mimicked her sister's earlier solemn statement when she begged out of tellign them if she were interested in either male potentially, on the ground of having baggage and past issues to work through first.

"Well? Is there?"

"If we show you, you have to give an honest answer. Are you into either guy?" Kristina asked as Molly added, "Because trust me.. They both are seriously interested in you. They were here every single night you were in that coma." and Kiki added, "Which one? I bet it's Dante."

"No it has to be Nathan.. She's always had a thing for blue eyes."

"Actually, guys, it's both of them... I mean if I were to answer you, hypothetically.. I'm just.. I feel this pull towards them both and I have no idea how to react. I mean I know I clearly cannot have them both, I have to choose at some point, if I even did think we'd work out. Ughh, damn it.." Avaleigh admitted candidly as Sam took out her phone and found the Magic Milo video that had been uploaded to VIne, watched her sister as her sister watched them dancing. "I cannot believe our father let Lucas do that." Avaleigh laughed as Sam said "Yet he tried putting his blazer over my dress before me and Molly went up." as Avaleigh laughed and shook her head and then admitted, "He'd have loved my job then."

"Huh?"

"For the few months I lived in Vegas with my ex and before Carrie was born.. I kinda maybe worked at a cabaret club?" Avaleigh admitted as her sisters and her cousin all stared at her as if she had a third eye for a moment and then Sam said quietly, "That actually does not surprise me." before laughing a little.

The movie had just finished and her sisters and Kiki had all just left to go back to their homes when the door opened and Nathan walked in and sat down after handing her a rose, leaning down to brush hair out of her eyes and asking her "How do you feel today?"

"The same as yesterday. Like a train hit me." Avaleigh answered as Nathan raised a brow at the dvds on the table. "Lemme guess.. Girls night in?" before smiling. Avaleigh nodded, bit her lower lip. She kept seeing him dancing like he'd been dancing in that video in her mind and now he made her curious.. He just seemed so straight laced, really. Maybe she didn't completely know him?

"Mhmm, obviously.. So I may have seen a thing? You, sir, are a man of many facets. I never pegged you for the take it off kinda guy." Avaleigh joked as Nathan grumbled and then with a laugh said "Who showed you that video?"

"My sisters. Care to enlighten me?" Avaleigh asked as Nathan shrugged and smirking said "There's a lot you don't know about me, actually." as he looked at her and then said quietly, "But maybe when you get out of here." She nodded and then said quietly, "But to be fair, Nathan.. I'm sort of split in two right now.. And it's gonna take time for me to get back into life, get back to being me again.I've been through a lot.. I'm wary now, don't want to go jumping right out of the pan and into the fire."

Nathan nodded and smiled as he said quietly, "I'm a pretty patient guy.. Especially when I think there is a chance you might feel somethng for me too." while holding her gaze boldly, leaning in a little. She bit her lip and looked at him as she smiled and then said "So.. How was work today?"

"Slow. And very irritating. We got two drunk and disorderlies. That was about it. The highlight of my day, as usual, is right now." Nathan admitted as he smiled at her. She smiled back and then asked him, "Oh yeah? And why is that?"

"Maybe because I can't get you out of my head." Nathan admitted quietly, holding her gaze as he did so. She bit her lip and muttered something and gazed back intently at him. "They say I might get out of here by next week." She finally said quietly as a way to break the ice and make conversation. He smiled and nodded then said "That's good. I'm glad."

"Me too. Being bedridden is not my thing. I have to find a job, find a school for Carrie.." Avaleigh admitted as Nathan smiled and said "So you're sticking around, huh?"

"Of course, my family is here.. And I want to be close to them. I've been away from them so long, it's weird actually.. Being back with them. But in a good way. I feel stronger than I have in a long time." as Nathan nodded and said with a smile, "That's good."

He groaned inwardly when a nurse peeked in and told him that visiting hours ended at least an hour ago and Avaleigh needed rest. he looked at her and said quietly, "I'll be back tomorrow. I'll bring takeout."

"I'll look for it. Anything is better than the healthy stuff I am getting in here. I've been wanting a cheeseburger so bad it's pathetic. And earlier, Mom sort of confiscated the one Lucas bought in for me."


	8. Chapter 5

FOOTNOTE.. BUT AT THE TOP.

**{****VOTE NOW ON POLL.} Okay, seriously, I love you all so much right now, I've only actually posted 5 chapters and it's gotten holy hell, eight reviews! Yay! I was worried it was horrible or something. I love everyone who has reviewed, so very much.**

**Side note: Adding JoLu to the couples list because I never got into Lante, I always liked Jo Lu better. Also, it keeps things neat and tidy for story purposes. So yes, JoLu is a thing in here.**

**A couple things about this chapter off the bat.. It's mostly family interactions again, just for the sake of cuteness. A little father/brother/daughter time with another Dante chemistry test thrown in. I'm going to keep alternateing men like this just for kicks. I'm still torn soooo badly. And Dante is one vote up in the poll I have going via review, pm or poll.**

**I hope you guys are enjoying this. I love writing it, honestly.**

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><p>"Dad, seriously. I can walk." Avaleigh insisted as her father gave her a look to silently tell her to pipe down and helped her down the corridor. The nurses had finally relented, and now, with the help of her father and her half brother Lucas, Avaleigh was being allowed to walk a little. Just down the hallway, but never in her entire life had she been more relieved to get out of a bed.<p>

"The nurses said, Avaleigh. Not too much pressure. And you won't just use the crutches. If you want to walk, Pixie Dust, you will lean on your brother and I, okay?" Julian spoke firmly. She pouted but he said quickly, "That look won't work now." as he smiled and relented a little, let her take a step or two on her own, his hand never far from the small of her back should she loose her footing and double over or something. He'd been away, kept from catching her when she fell or comforting her after her nightmares far too long now. He fully intended on being there for her through everything else that lie ahead.

Lucas also kept a watchful eye on his sister, remarked casually, "If you keep this up, sis, they'll let you out of here in no time.. Since you're sticking around, where are you gonna stay?" as he looked at her and smiled.

"Probably with Mom and Dad for now. But I will come over and annoy you and that boyfriend of yours a lot so just get ready to deal with it." Avaleigh said with a soft smile as Lucas fluffed her hair. She scowled at him a few moments and Julian said with a dry laugh, "Alright kids." as he g rumbled when he noticed Dante walking up the hallway towards them. The guy sniffed around a lot, as did that partner of his, Nathan. And Julian just wasn't sure how he liked this, to be quite honest. he hadn't really gotten to be her father before she'd been taken, and he was only just getting her back in his life now.

And he personally felt she needed space and time, an opportunity to get some semblance of a normal life back. But neither of the males in question seemed to agree. And of the two, all things considered, Julian preferred the other guy to Dante. Dante was Sonny's son and Sonny was and would always be his enemy.

Dante walked over and chuckled as he asked, "She finally drove the nurse insane until she got to get out, huh?" as he looked at Avaleigh in slight concern then asked, "She's not pushing it though, right?" as Lucas chuckled and watched their father carefully. Julian had already voiced his opinion on more than one occasion about Sonny and any potential male offspring he had trying to get with his daughter and Lucas just didn't really agree. He liked the guy. Went without saying, he liked Nathan too. T hey both seemed like good guys and he felt as an older brother, his little sister needed good in her life to balance out all the bad she'd went through and was to some degree still going through.

She just needed time to be okay and comfortable again. And then she could think about moving onward with her life. And Lucas just hoped she had the good sense to let her heart guide the way and not what her parents said or anyone else. Just want she wanted for once.

"No, officer, I am not pushing it. I actually have permission. I couldn't take being in the bed anymore, it was literal torture." Avaleigh muttered as she found her eyes getting pulled into his automatically. She bit her lower lip and Dante smiled as he said "I got ya something." which made Julian grumble and Avaleigh give her father a raised brow before managing a smile and pointing out "You didn't have to do that." as he chuckled and shrugging said "I wanted to."

One of the doctors called Dante's name, he'd had to come pick up a guy he was taking back to PCPD, it'd been the perfect excuse really, to bump into her here. Because he knew that if he slacked even a little, Nathan was going to wind up with her or something and it wasn't nor had it ever been in Dante Falconeri to just give up on something he felt was right or that he wanted.

"I'll be right back."

"She'll be in her room. Resting." Julian spoke up stiffly as Avaleigh bit her lip, fell silent. It felt like her father was trying to wedge between them, and she thought it over, realized why. Sonny was his father, Julian was her father. And the thing she maybe sort of felt for him.. Most likely, they'd be in for one hell of a battle if she ever actually got brave enough to try and make an effort.

She watched him as he talked to the doctor and cuffed the guy he'd come to pick up that was being arrested and she found herself wondering if maybe it wouldn't be worth it anyway. Then she'd think of her similar feelings towards Nathan West and she'd be torn all over again. Lucas nudged his sister and said quietly, "You can stop staring now." as he grinned at his little sister then added, "But Dad is right. We need to have you back in your room and resting." as he and Julian prepared to turn her around and lead her back to her room.

Once they'd gotten her settled in again, the door was knocked on and Dante poked his head in. "I'm by myself." Avaleigh said as she smiled at him when he walked in. He sat down next to the bed and said casually, "They got your car outta the river.. I found your mp3 player.. I mean I couldn't do much but.. Did manage to find out what kinda music ya liked.. So.. I got ya this." as he held out an mp3 player similar to the one she'd owned that got stuck in her wrecked car and no longer actually worked well. She smiled at him and he added, "I put some other stuff on it too." smiled at her.

"Oh really." she said as she smiled back and then asked, "I, umm.. What made you do it?"

"You have nightmares.. And the machinery in the room's gotta drive you nuts I figured." Dante said as he stared at her intently and smiled. "Also, I maybe picked up something you been talkin about a lot." as he produced a greasy takeout bag and smirked. "You didnt"

"I did.. I'm on my lunch right now.. I thought I'd come by and see you." he said as he took out his own similar takeout bag and moved to sit on the edge of the bed, watched her flipping through the channels, smiled when she s topped on a channel playing a Yankees game. "You like baseball?"

"Love it." Avaleigh admitted as Dante smiled and took a bite of the burger in his hands then said through a mouth full, "They're gonna own the playoffs." as she shook her head an stated "Nope, not gonna happen. As much as I live and die by my Yanks, Dante.. I think that the Sox are gonna come back and beat 'em. Or something." which made him glare at her a moment and laugh. He leaned in and wiped at a ketchup smear on her cheek and chuckled. She shrugged and munched down on the burger then eyed his milkshake. At first he shook his head but she pretended to pout and she took it as he handed it over, eyes locked on hers. She sipped the milkshake and groaned a little as it hit the spot, really.

Almost dying will make even the littlest of things take on a whole new tone. She smiled at him softly and said "Sorry about before.. My dad, he means well, it's just.." as Dante nodded and then added, "Doesnt' help when our dads kinda hate one another." with an amused laugh. "On the other hand though.. Like I said before.. Gonna take time before I'm ready for anything other than friendship. And other factors don't help matters any." as Dante nodded and said with a shrug, "Like you said.. I'm pretty persistant, huh? I think I can make it?" as he looked at her.

He did know one thing. he did not intend on giving up the fight to explore what it was that he felt for her.


	9. Chapter 6

FOOTNOTE.. BUT AT THE TOP.

**{****VOTE NOW ON POLL.} Okay, seriously, I love you all so much right now, I've only actually posted 5 chapters and it's gotten holy hell, eight reviews! Yay! I was worried it was horrible or something. I love everyone who has reviewed, so very much.**

**Side note: Adding JoLu to the couples list because I never got into Lante, I always liked Jo Lu better. Also, it keeps things neat and tidy for story purposes. So yes, JoLu is a thing in here.**

**A couple things about this chapter off the bat.. It's mostly family interactions again, just for the sake of cuteness. A little mother/daughter/granddaughter time with another Nathan chemistry test thrown in. I'm going to keep alternateing men like this just for kicks. I'm still torn soooo badly And Dante is one vote up in the poll I have going via review, pm or poll.**

**I hope you guys are enjoying this. I love writing it, honestly.**

* * *

><p>"This came today." Alexis said as she dug around in her purse and dug out the letter, held it out to Avaleigh who took it and ripped open the envelope.<p>

As soon as she saw what her ex was intending to do, sue her for sole custody, for no actual reason other than spite, because he was desperate and at this point would try pretty much anything to get her back there so he could start the nightmare she'd lived in for their daughters sake all over again, well... She growled and glared at the paper, then asked her mother quietly, "Can he do this? I mean we were not married. And I have proof that he was abusive. I also have proof that he stalked me and might even have put someone up to running us off the road that night. Remember that lead Sam got on my wreck? It went back to him, Mom." Avaleigh muttered as Alexis sighed and said in a soothing tone, "He can try. But if your sister can get me all the stuff she found and you can get me your phone with the voice mails and the texts, I can stop him." as she looked at her daughter and then added, "Your father and I went ahead and put Carrie into school. In light of this, we thought it'd be a good idea to cross every t, dot every i so he cannot use anything to take her from you."

"Thanks, Mom.. She wasn't too upset, right? She's really shy."

"She wasn't happy but she started to talk to Aiden, this boy in her class and they seemed to get along well. She'll be here in a few minutes, Kristina and Ethan said they'd get her from school and bring her to the hospital. Ethan took your sister out for something to eat." Alexis said with a laugh as she held her daughter's hand and then asked quietly, "How on earth did you get mixed up with Carrie's father?"

"I ask myself that every day, mom, because I sometimes wish I hadn't. But if not, I wouldn't have my little girl." Avaleigh said as her aunt Ava edged in. Alexis rolled her eyes at Ava and then said calmly, "Ava."

"Alexis." Ava said as she fixed her eyes on Avaleigh and asked in a rare moment of genuine concern "Are you any better? You haven't been pushing it, have you? I heard you were giving the nurses fits earlier."

"I'm getting better, Aunt Ava. What about you? The appointment you had for your baby? How's that going, huh?" Avaleigh asked as Alexis glared at Ava. Leave it to her to come by. The two women had not ever honestly gotten along, Ava blamed Alexis for Julian's suffering, for his leaving when their relationship fell apart after they'd lost Avaleigh. Ava pretty much blamed Alexis for everything. Alexis just felt that Ava was a conniving bitch with entirely too much interest in her brother's business and personal life.

Ava smiled and informed her niece that the baby was fine. That she was fine too. And then she asked bluntly, "That man.. he won't be coming around anymore, will he? Your father was beyond furious when he showed up here and tried to take Carrie out with him."

"Nope. But her mother will help her get him out of her life, Ava. Your kind of help ends with people dead or in prision. And that is now how I want my daughters to resort to fixing any little problem they happen to have." Alexis stated firmly as Ava glared at her but kept silent for the moment. She'd handle Alexis later. Her primary focus currently, was that of her niece. Because contrary to what Alexis and everyone else seemed to think, Ava did care.. About her family.

Beyond that? She gave zero honest fucks about anyone or anything else.

The door to the hospital room opened and Nathan walked in, carrying Carrie as he smiled and held out his usual flower for the day, this time a single blood red rose. He knew she seemed to prefer those by now. "Look who I found wandering the hallway." he joked as Carrie smiled and climbed down from his arms, proceeded to tell her mommy every single thing that happened to her in her first day of school here in Port Charles ending with "And I likes him so much, Mommy. Aiden so cute!" as Avaleigh groaned internally and Alexis gave a laugh and pulled her granddaughter into her lap and kissing her cheek said "But you're still so little. You have to let your grandpa and I spoil you before you go getting all big on us, going off, getting married."

"I not, Mimi. I gonna be lawyer. Likes you. Or a ballerina."

"Can't you do both, baby girl?" Avaleigh asked as Ava spoke up and pointed out, "She can do anything. She has Jerome blood in her." which made Alexis give Ava a dirty look. After a few moments, Ava left the room finally and as soon as the door was shut Alexis growled. Carrie giggled and said "She look mean."

"She is, sweetie. Very mean."

Avaleigh sighed and then said quietly, "What about homework, Carrie? Did you at least get that while you were off meeting little boys?" with a laugh. Nathan chuckled and spoke up to say "Kristina was helping her with it in the cafeteria. I got her food." as Carrie giggled and said "I show him how to eat a burger." as Avaleigh smiled at Nathan and mouthed _Thank you _which of course, only got her a casual shrug as Nathan chuckled and said "Yeah, she did. Also showed me how her mom is such a messy eater. It's cute though."

"Funny, West. Very funny." Avaleigh said as Alexis studied the two, curious. She sort of could sense that maybe if her daughter weren't going through hell currently, she might return the obvious feelings that Dante and Nathan felt for her. She was curious, however, as to which male would be the one Avaleigh would pick if she weren't so afraid to do so.

"We're all messy eaters, Avaleigh, you get it honestly." Alexis admitted with a laugh as she leaned down to kiss her daughters head after standing and said "I'm going to talk to Scott or Anna, see what we can do about barring your exs contact with you and Carrie. I'll come back later to tell you what they come up with. You get rest." she spoke firmly as she turned to Nathan and said "And you don't keep her up all night."

"I try to get her to sleep, she says that sleep is omething she's tired of, Ms. Davis." Nathan mused as Avaleigh cleared her throat and said "Umm, still lying here?" with an amused look on her face. She hugged her mom again and after Alexis left, Nathan smiled, sat down in the chair next to the bed and just sort of stared at her a little bit. "So.. I heard about your ex trying to go after Carrie now." he said quietly as Avaleigh nodded and said "Apparently he showed up at my mom and dads with cops from Benson Hurst. My dad ran 'em off and my mom proceeded to tell them that my ex was a monster who put me through hell. I'm just.. I'm so glad to be out. And home. The nightmare's over."

Nathan nodded and said quietly, "It is." as he held her gaze intently. Her hair fell into her eyes, he reached out and slowly tucked it behind her ear as he smiled and then said "So.. Heard you've been raising hell to get out of bed. Just take it easy, okay? You need to heal for Carrie.. And your family." _And me. Because I fully intend on getting to know you better when you're out of here, better again. I haven't ever felt this way about someone before. I thought I did but.._ he added to himself silently as she nodded and then said with a smile, "Yeah, I know. It's just hard being stuck in here. I'm used to being active, doing things. Being the one who takes Carrie to school. I hated being sick or something when I was younger, it's ridiculous."_  
><em>

He gave a laugh and said "We share that in common, actually. I can get a cold and it drives me insane." as Avaleigh smiled and teased him, "Men are babies when they get sick though. Big babies."

"Not all of us are."

"Sure."

"I'm not. Not too bad." Nathan said as she bit her lower lip. Their eyes locked intently and neither really said anything for a few moments. And then Britt, Nathan's sister peeked in and said "She needs rest, Nathan. You can come back tomorrow. And you might want to get out in the hallway anyway, that jerk is here again. But you," she motioned to Avaleigh, "Stay put. My brother can handle this for now. I know it's hard, believe me. But you can't just be up doing too much right now with all the injuries you took during the wreck. You have to heal and you can't when you're out in the hallway trying to take on your ex."

Avaleigh grumbled and leaned her head back against the pillow, squeezed her eyes shut as Nathan said quietly, "I'll see you tomorrow, okay? I'm gonna go get rid of this jerk now though. She's right. You better not leave this bed."

"Or what, Officer."

"I held you back one time." Nathan said with a slightly more seductive grin than he realized as he left the room. And Avaleigh lightly banged her head against the table slid over her bed's railing. She was irrevocably torn two ways right now and not sure if she was in the shape emotionally to even dare to attempt either.


	10. I NEED YOU NOW - NSFWISH DREAM SEQUENCES

FOOTNOTE.. BUT AT THE TOP.

**{****VOTE NOW ON POLL.} Okay, seriously, I love you all so much right now, I've only actually posted 5 chapters and it's gotten holy hell, eight reviews! Yay! I was worried it was horrible or something. I love everyone who has reviewed, so very much.**

**Side note: Adding JoLu to the couples list because I never got into Lante, I always liked Jo Lu better. Also, it keeps things neat and tidy for story purposes. So yes, JoLu is a thing in here.**

**A couple things about this chapter off the bat.. Two more sleep/dream sequences for you lovely people. Both sexual, by the way. Just because, yeah. It's one of those nights.I'm still torn soooo badly And Dante is one vote up in the poll I have going via review, pm or poll.**

**I hope you guys are enjoying this. I love writing it, honestly.**

* * *

><p><em>DREAM 01 - DANTE<em>

_He opened the door with his foot and carried her inside, her legs around his waist as their lips didn't break contact a single time. His leather jacket flew across the room and landed on the bed as he sat her on the kitchen table and leaned in which leaned her back. He leaned over her and his lips left her lips to graze slowly down her neck, nipping, sucking, leaving marks in their wake. It started with one simple innocent kiss when they'd been walking on the docks on their way back from a movie they'd seen together. The kiss hadn't quite been enough, however and now, here they were. He pulled her shirt up, over her head, it landed on a lamp somewhere in the room behind them, he wasn't even paying attention at this time anymore, he just wanted her, needed her so much at the moment. It felt good, she thought to herself, to be wanted, needed.. To have the thought of you drive someone that crazy.._

_She hadn't ever had that, honestly. _

_Her hands went to his shirt, the black shirt landed on the dresser, and she licked her lips as she looked at his muscular chest and arms. He shrugged a little, winked at her as he too let his eyes roam slowly over her body. He licked his lips as he picked her up one more time and carried her to the bedroom of his loft apartment, lie her back on his bed, then joined her, leaning in, attacking her mouth and body hungrily with kisses as his hands roamed all over. She groaned and her back arched away from the bed as his torso grinded against hers, the friction alone was enough to drive her crazy but actually feeling what she did to him, how much he wanted her and how hard he was for her right now. Her hands went to his jeans zipper and she unzipped his jeans which he was currently straining against. He stood to step out of them and she pouted a little because for that moment, his lips and hands had to leave her body and her lips.. The jeggings she wore joined his jeans on the floor seconds later and he leaned down, said with a lazy soft smile, "You're the sexiest woman I've ever seen."_

_"Seen a lot of women, have you, Dante?" Avaleigh joked as he shook his head, bent down, his lips trailing lazily from her lips downward to her chest, then lower, to her stomach... She felt his finger hook in the waistband of her string bikini and seconds later, it slid down her leg as her hands went for the waistband of his silk boxers, tugging. He conquered her mouth hungrily with his own as he positioned himself and slowly entered her. Her back arched away from the bed with the gentle slow and steady strokes and thrusts. "I wanna hold you after. All night." he admitted and held her gaze, making her smile._

_"I'd love that.. Oh.. Mmm.. Dante."_

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><p>Sam's laughter woke her and she sat up, gave her sister a dirty look. "What? I mean you're the one lying there calling out a guy's name." Sam teased her sister gently as Avaleigh grumbled "Haha, you're real funny. Real hilarious, sis." as Sam continued, "So it is Dante then, huh?"<p>

"Sam, don't push."

"Avaleigh, don't put your fucking head in the sand. You and Carrie are entitled to a life free of that jerk she calls a father. You deserve real love." Sam stated as she held out a milkshake and giggled as she leaned in and whispered, "He came by while you were sleeping.. Before the dream you were having just now.. Put that in the freezer for you for when you woke up. Mom wanted to kick his ass. He also stayed around and helped Carrie with some thing she had to do for school."

Avaleigh nodded and took the milkshake, raising a brow when it was somehow her favorite flavor and she'd never once told him which flavor she preferred. She groaned as the creamy cool liquid made it's way down her throat and after a few moments, Sam spoke up, offering her own personal opinion as a big sister when she pointed out, "I know you need time. But I think, personally, when you're ready again, Avaleigh.. you know who you really want.. It's gonna be one of them. They both love Carrie and they both treat you like you deserve to be treated. That's all you need.. To be loved. To figure out which guy is actually willing to wait on you to be ready to give your love away again. Now all you have to do is figure that out. So far, they both seem to."

"I know, that's what makes this so hard." Avaleigh admitted as she gently palmed her face and shook her head. She really was torn. And the bad part of it was that she had no absolute guarantee other than both of their own declarations as to how they were 'willing to wait' as any real indicator of how they truly felt about waiting, taking time, getting to know her slowly, letting her get used to being able to trust.

Sam's pager went off and Avaleigh leaned up to hug her sister then said with a smile, "We'll have a sleepover. The night I'm out of here."

"You bet your ass we are, sis. I've missed you so much." Sam admitted as she muttered in a quieter voice, "Words aren't always said, Avaleigh.. Sometimes it's more of the actions shown too. Just think about it, you'll see what I'm talking about." befoer walking out the door.

The medicine kicked in about an hour later as Avaleigh began to get caught up in an episode of American Horror Story and she found herself dozing off again, this time, she had a totally different yet equally racy dream about Nathan, the other man in this strange dilemma of hers.

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><p><em>DREAM 02 - NATHAN<em>

_She gasped when he walked into the bathroom. She'd had to use his shower, she'd spilt her beer all over her before they left the hockey game he'd taken her to as a surprise. Tonight had been a good one, they'd talked nonstop, about everything. Somewhere around the second half, however, when the kiss cam panned the audience and he smiled and muttered "Don't be mad." before pulling her into his lap, pulling her into a very intense and passionate kiss that felt like it was urgent, like he wanted her more than anything or anyone else he had ever wanted before.. She'd started to feel an electric tingle all over her body. Each time his lips met hers after that, the tingle grew and grew gradually until her hands even shook a little and as a result, she'd spilt the beer she'd been drinking all over herself on her way out of the arena._

_"Shit." he mumbled, though he didn't tear his eyes away. His heart raced as his eyes roamed and he licked his lips, she blushed and turned this really cute shade of pink all over. He wanted to kiss her again, he wanted to pick her up, sit her on the double sink's counter in the smallish bathroom and pin her hands, lean her back against the wall and honestly kiss her like she'd never been kissed before just to show her, so she'd finally see that he wanted her. More than anything or anyone he'd ever met or wanted before._

_"I.."_

_"It's okay, I should have knocked."_

_Their chests brushed by then and both jumped in audible shock, neither realized that they'd been instinctively migrating towards the other in the small bathroom. His hand went to her chin, tilted it up and he leaned down, his mouth met hers, his tongue flicked out, parted her lips, tangling with hers. Her kiss was soft but passionate, filled with fire much like the one he gave her and instead of breaking the kiss, he bought a hand down and clutched the towel for her when her towel started to slip. Even though helping her keep up the towel, well, it was the absolute last thing on his mind right now. His hips pinned her against the bathroom sink and she groaned, her hand went upward, dragged slowly through his short jet black hair._

_"We're both adults." Avaleigh asserted as he nodded, stopped to stare into her eyes. He gripped her ass and sat her on the edge of the counter and after removing the towel, he bent and started to trail kisses all over. His hands gripped her breasts, slid downward, index finger trailing slowly up the inside of her thigh while she worked on getting the zipper of his jeans undone. She could feel him straining through the fabric, just the thought of him, like this had wetness flooding her. He picked her legs up, wrapped them around her waist as he began to thrust, slowly, steadily, gently. "Stay with me tonight." he asked as he nipped at her neck, then bent, letting his lips graze her breast. She gasped and groaned, bit her lower lip as she said "I'd love that." and then seconds later, began to moan aloud..._

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><p>She woke up scowling at herself. How the hell was she supposed to figure this out when she felt much the same thing right now for both man? And to begin with, she didn't even know who really wanted her and who just thought they did. She sighed as she took a few deep breaths. The dreams had drained her a little, and she felt affectionate, turned on.<p>

Her sister's advice came to her and she mused to herself "I could try to move on with my life.. If I do this though... I don't wanna choose wrong and make a huge mistake later.. There has to be some way to figure out which man I really want more. The thing is hurting someone. I hate hurting people."


	11. Chapter 7

FOOTNOTE.. BUT AT THE TOP.

**{****VOTE NOW ON POLL. OR IN A REVIEW. I'M TORN BETWEEN DANTE OR NATHAN AS A PAIRING POTENTIALLY AND I'D LOVE TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!} Okay, seriously, I love you all so much right now, I've only actually posted 10 Chapters and it's gotten holy hell, TWELVE reviews! Yay! I was worried it was horrible or something. I love everyone who has reviewed, so very much.**

**A couple things about this chapter off the bat..This chapter is mostly her getting out of the hospital, finally, going to settle in with Alexis and Julian, who in my story are living together. She has visitors, of course, this time, it's Nathan, next it'll be Dante..I'm still torn soooo badly And the poll I have going via review, pm or poll is now tied, both guys having the exact same amount of votes all total. HELP ME CHOOSE!**

**I hope you guys are enjoying this. I love writing it, honestly.**

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><p>3 weeks in a hospital is a lot for a girl to take. Especially a strong willed one like Avaleigh. The bed rest was taking it's toll, the hospital food was really starting to get on her last nerve and she was starting to hate being hooked to a lot of the machines. Which is probably why when her half brother Lucas came in and told her with a grin that she was free to go, the first thing she did was get up and take an actual shower. On her own, with no nurse attendees or anything waiting right there to make sure she didn't loose her footing and fall, break her ass or something in the shower in her hospital room. She'd just stepped out, was toweling out her hair when she heard Nathan cough.<p>

"Crap.. I didn't think anyone was in..." Avaleigh started as she blushed almost crimson red beneath her tan and clutched at the almost obscenely short towels that the hospital provided for showering. She couldn't wait to just get back to her parents and soak.. She wondered if either of them still lived in the house she'd grown up in, the one with the giant sized garden tub in the master bath..

Nathan chuckled and said with a smile, "Britt told me you were going home tonight. I was on lunch, thought I'd stop by and see you.. I mean I can come back.." a little nervousness to his tone as he raked his hand through his hair and just stared at her. The scars from the wreck were fading, she was starting to flinch less when touched by someone and she smiled a lot more now. Real smiles, not the ones she'd been giving at first. Not the one she'd given him that melted his heart like a vat of butter on their way to the hospital that night when he'd ridden in the ambulance with her, tried to persuade her to stay alive, that she was someone he wanted to get to know, that he knew from just the few minutes he'd met her that she was a tough girl, a fighter and she had a daughter who needed her.

"No, no.. Sit. I'm fine, really. I mean we're both adults." Avaleigh muttered as she grabbed a pair of jeans and a shirt her sister bought by earlier when she'd come to visit with Ethan, after she'd gotten out of her checkup for their baby. During which time, Kristina argued Dante's case as the better guy in this supposed battle for Avaleigh's heart. Then again, Kristina was a bit biased towards him, they were half siblings.

Meanwhile, Kiki, her cousin, seemed to think Nathan was a better fit. She said that there was just something there, some kind of spark. Michael, of course, told Avaleigh that her decision was her decision but he personally felt that she needed time. Which Sam, who'd also been there during the conversation, agreed with.

"Yeah.. we are." Nathan tried to avert his gaze, will any and all sexy thoughts the mental image she'd burned into his mind, wearing nothing but that towel right now were put there. She needed time, space, a chance to heal and get back on her own two feet again, to figure out who she was, really. Because she'd lived several lies for so long now..

It was the one thing he and the other person in this competition for her affection, Dante, actually did agree on. Though surprisingly, while things were a little tense between them lately, it wasn't so bad that they weren't still close friends who talked openly about their feelings for the same woman. Like reasonable adults. Yeah, now and then, jealousy flared, male egos came into question but.. Each guy realized that the choice ultimately came down to whichever person Avaleigh chose. Not who forced himself on her the most.

"You need any help?" he asked, mentally kicking himself after he did so. If he touched her, he'd only be opening himself up to a huge temptation on his part. He'd only want more. He was trying to show restraint. Restraint was the best way to handle things. For the moment, at least.

"I think I got it... Actually, Nathan.. Mind hooking my bra?" Avaleigh asked as she turned to let him hook up her bra. His hands touched her back, she bit her lower lip and reminded herself that out of the frying pan and into the fire was not the way to go. He held her t shirt around to her and she slid it down quickly before turning around. No sense in teasing either guy, she knew pretty much, how they both felt about her and she wasn't the kind of girl to give a guy false hopes. She didn't want to lead either of them on, not when truth be told, they both meant the same to her. For the moment at least, just until she got back on her feet, got prepared to at least attempt getting to know them, making her final decision then.

She was more practical about this stuff, more like her mother. Now she was at least. She had a daughter to think about, whoever she chose had to be a fit for the life she wanted, had to be willing to over time become a father to her daughter. Both males seemed to. Another big thing that was confusing the hell out of her for the most part.

Nathan licked his lips and for a moment, he thought about letting the bra fall to the floor. His fingers shook more than they had even when he'd been about to undress a girl for the first time ever and his heart was beating so loudly he was surprised the entire floor of the hospital couldn't hear it. He face palmed mentally when he realized moments later, before Avaleigh turned around, that his sister, Britt, had seen the whole thing and was probably right now, designing his entire wedding, with help of his birth mother, of course.

While Obrecht wasn't entirely thrilled with the girl, she did seem to think highly of the fact that Avaleigh was such a survivor. Not what she wanted for her son, but a survivor all the same.

Avaleigh found herself pressed against his solid muscular chest as she turned around quickly and almost lost her balance. She was still having smallish issues with her balance currently, so it happened from time to time. He quickly caught her and for a few moments, they stood there, eyes locked on one another. He blinked and remembered the rose, held it out to her. She smiled softly, a real smile, the smile he loved more than anything lately, the smile he'd just about move a mountain or stop a moving train just to see her give.. The rose passed slowly underneath her nose and she admitted, "They always smell so good."

He chuckled and admitted, "Probably because I cut them from the rose garden in the park on my way over.. You didn't.. You don't strike me as the flower shop flowers kind of woman, Avaleigh."

"I'm not.. And surprised you picked up on it, Nathan." Avaleigh admitted, smiling in slight shock.

"So.. How is it going to feel to go home?" he asked as they sat down on the small couch in the room. She shifted to face him, sitting close and admitted, "I'll just be glad the whole nightmare is finally over. I mean for the most part. Still have my ex's absurdity of a custody case to get through but with my mom and my dad, my sisters all helping.. I don't think it's going so well for him."

"If you need me for anything." Nathan said as Avaleigh nodded and smiled at him. "How was work?"

"Today was interesting.. We're reopening a case we closed recently because of new evidence. So now everyone in the station is basically scrambling to finish it. So we can move on." Nathan admitted. He left out for now that a lot of the case had to do with her father, his possible alliance with either Jerry Jacks or Luke Spencer. Today was her day, he wanted nothing to taint that.

She eyed him and asked quietly, "Okay, what's my father's business got to do with it?" as he looked at her and she leaned in, said with a teasing and friendly grin, "You are a shitty liar, Nathan.."

"Just that your father might be involved with some bad things.. We don't know yet, at this point, it's hearsay." Nathan said as Avaleigh sighed and raked her hand through her long dark hair slowly before asking, "He's still in... Isn't he? Don't lie to me.. My father is still a mobster, even now, even after all the shit it put my sister, my mother and I through before I was taken as a kid."

"He is, yes. But he's trying to get out. You can't just get out. It's a lot harder than it looks, Avaleigh. I'm sure he wants to be out so he knows you're all safe." Nathan said as best as he could, trying to prevent her from worrying. She shook her head and bit her lower lip, stared into his eyes a few moments. "Thanks.. For not being just a cop about it.. For at least trying to make me feel better." she said finally as he nodded and smiled as he said quietly while holding her gaze, "Anything for you."

Britt poked her head in and asked, "So.. Ready to go home? Maybe once you're out we can go shopping.. Especially if you're going to start looking for work, a place to live. I need someone to shop with that actually kind of likes me." with a laugh. Avaleigh laughed also and said "I'd love that.. Not much of a shopper though. But I'll have to be considering my ex, from the last I heard from that guy who works with my dad, burnt all of mine and Carrie's stuff."

"That bastard."

"Mhmm.. But hey.. Joke will be on him by the time I'm through with him in court." Avaleigh said as Nathan chuckled and spoke up, "And she's got my help."

"Mine too. I hated the guy when he showed up here that third night after she was admitted. I mean who frightens their own daughter that much?" Britt mused as Avaleigh sighed and nodded in agreement.

After Nathan left, she sat around thinking about her time with him just then.. Now she knew how he felt, exactly.. Now she just had to figure out how Dante really felt.. And which of them was willing to actually wait on her to actually be ready to try and love someone again, willing to take things slowly, probably at times even at an agonizing pace.


	12. Chapter 8

FOOTNOTE.. BUT AT THE TOP.

**{POLL IS CLOSED! I'VE CHOSEN A DIRECTION FOR AVALEIGH'S PAIRING. NATHAN WEST IS THE GUY SHE WILL BE PAIRED WITH. I HAD A READER MAKE A FEW VERY SWAYING POINTS IN A REVIEW, SO.. NATHAN WEST, LADIES, IS AVALEIGH'S FINAL PAIRING. THANKS TO ALL THAT VOTED and TO MY AMAZING REVIEWERS! I LOVE YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH, YOU HAVE NO IDEA EVEN..}****  
><span>**

**{A FEW THINGS ABOUT THIS CHAPTER.. IT'S DAUGHTER/MOTHER TIME, WITH NATHAN MAKING AN APPEARANCE. MOST LIKELY DANTE TOO, HE IS PART OF THE STORY STILL, DON'T FRET.}**

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><p>"He seriously showed up.. at her school? And tried to take her out?" Avaleigh asked at the dinner table, hand curling around her fork as a scowl formed on her face. Carrie nodded and through a mouth full answered quietly, "He did.. But I called Granpa." as she looked at her mommy. Avaleigh nodded at her daughter and bent inward, kissing her forehead as she said quietly, "This will all be over very soon sweetie, I promise. We're safe now, we're never gonna go back there. No matter what your father tries." while chewing her food intently.<p>

Alexis spoke up from across the table and stated quietly, "I went ahead and told someone at the station to send an officer over with a protective order. The sooner we file it, the sooner I have that proof I can show the judge at the preliminary hearing, Avaleigh.." as she fixed her eyes on her daughter and leaned across, brushing her daughter's bangs out of her eye. " I love that you let your hair grow.. Before you got taken.. You'd tried to chop it all off.." she said quietly as Avaleigh nodded and asked quietly, "So.. Did you see them?"

"If by them you're asking if I saw Nathan and Dante, then yes, I actually did. I had a conversation with Nathan, actually, Dante was called out on a case almost as soon as I got there. He assured me that someone would be by with the papers, even if he had to do it himself." Alexis said as she smiled a little, nudged her daughter playfully and asked, "Any reason you asked me that?"

"Just curious.. I.. I worry when those two are working? I mean granted, I might only feel friendship towards the one.. But I worry. I mean being a cop, especially here, is almost as dangerous as being a mobster.. Which brings me to my next question, Mom.. Is Dad still?"

Alexis looked at her drink and sighed as she nodded and muttered quietly, "I think he is.. And I'm afraid he's gotten himself in so deep he'll never actually be able to get out. If he's even tried, I mean so much has happened lately I can't even be sure.. I'm taking it you talked to Sam.." as she looked at her second oldest and sighed again. Unlike Sam, Avaleigh had sort of been aware, to some degree, that their daddy didn't just run newspapers and art galleries. She suspected it was because Avaleigh had often listened at doors when adults were talking. Sam had too, but Sam always tried to think more positively about their father. Avaleigh had too, it was just that Avaleigh often worried more when Julian had to leave suddenly back then, or he was even an hour late coming home.

Alexis never understood why, but Sam mentioned once that Avaleigh overheard a really bad conversation that scared her when she was smaller and during the conversation, Julian had been threatened, as well as every member of his family.

So Alexis just assumed that was why Avaleigh just always sort of 'knew' what her father did was wrong or dangerous, even that young. Sam, of course, did too, she just pretended not to be so aware, Alexis suspected the brunt of that was so that Avaleigh wouldn't freak out, or Alexis wouldn't worry about either of them.

"Not just her.. Nathan said something about a case and Luke? Isn't he like, our godfather?" Avaleigh asked as Alexis nodded and said quietly, "And Jerry Jacks is in the picture now so your father's really tense." as Avaleigh nodded and agreed, added "Yeah, I've noticed.. Ten security guys outside my room, Mom, that was kind of a big tip off, honestly. I mean I didn't even have to ask them anything when I did, I'd sort of suspected it when I saw him talking to all the suits the night I woke up finally."

Alexis nodded and said quietly, "I love him.. I'm just.. I'm worried right now, actually. I mean we just.." as Avaleigh finished, "You just got back together finally. Things were just starting to go well again.. I know, Mom." as she bit her lower lip and added, "My ex.. He pulled similar.. But it wasn't the same as Dad.. I mean he'd lie and act okay, he'd go weeks, months even without doing something and scaring the hell out of us both. Then one night, he'd snap. There is a difference, Mom, I know that now that I'm older. All I'm saying is you can't just do what everyone else tells you about him and walk away.. It's not ever as easy as it looks. And sometimes, it's the wrong thing to do. In my case, it wasn't."

"And you think it would be in mine?" ALexis asked, eyeing her daughter. She was learning a lot about the woman her daughter had grown into lately, she liked it. She'd never imagined she'd ever get this chance before a month ago.

"A little, yes. I mean he's always done everything in his power to keep the business and his personal life seperate. But if it gets dangerous, Mom.. you know he's going to leave.. And it'll be to protect his family. He's kinda not like Sonny like that." Avaleigh admitted as she sipped her own drink, took a few bites of her food, wincing as Alexis laughed and said "Wasn't me this time. It was Kristina. She was trying a new recipe."

"Ahh.. Well tell her maybe not to turn the oven up that high next time she bakes a chicken?" Avaleigh laughed as Alexis asked quietly, "How bad was it? I mean with you and your ex?"

"I'd really rather not talk about it, Mom, trust me." Avaleigh begged as Alexis shook her head and taking a sip of her drink she pointed out, "But we are going to discuss it before the hearing. Everything has to come out then, I just want to know how badly I'm going to wish they gave the death penalty to garden variety abusers. Or how tempted I'll be to let your father's men handle the jerk."

The door was knocked on and Carrie smiled and giggling, she raced to the door, flying into the man's arms. He smiled at her and she said quietly, " I was just fixin to tell Mommy about how you came all the way to the school and saved me!" as Nathan shook his head and said quietly, "It wasn't a big deal. But you are a very, very smart girl for knowing to call me."

She smiled and said "And I got a A! On my spelling word story! The one ya helped me write?" as Nathan chuckled and called out to Avaleigh, "You around? I came by to bring you those papers. Your mom stopped by the station earlier." and smiled when she stepped into the room, took Carrie from his arms as she hugged him and asked "Drink or anything? Betting it was one hell of a day today, I saw the news earlier, I was worried.." as she bit her lower lip and for a moment got lost in those intense eyes of his.

He coughed a little and then said "Not really.. I mean luckily, the situation died down before we got to the scene.. Then I wound up going to Carrie's school, she called dispatch.." as Avaleigh looked down at Carrie who smiled brightly and said "And he saved me from havin to leave!" as Avaleigh smiled, held Nathan's gaze intently, remembering their whole 'moment' earlier in the week.. It was intense, the vibe between them currently. Not awkward, just.. Intense. Like she couldn't quite catch her breath.

_Maybe that meant something_, she mused to herself before answering Carrie with a soft "Yeah, he did.. He's good at that, isn't he?" and flashing Nathan a soft smile and mouthing "Thank you, you have no idea how much safer I feel knowing you and my mother actually got there before he could..." as he hugged her and shrugged it off as if what he did were not a big deal. "So.. I thought that maybe if your mom was up to it, Carrie, and you wanted to.. We could go for a walk or something? Maybe to the new playground?" Nathan asked as Avaleigh looked at him a few moments, bit her lower lip and said with a smile, "I'll go grab my jacket. And tell my mom I'm gonna go for a walk."

"I heard you two. Go ahead." Alexis said as Avaleigh blushed a little, she'd had no clue her mother had just overheard everything just now.. She sensed that later she was probably in for a long mother and daughter talk, which maybe would be a good thing. Maybe talking to her mother would help her sort through her feelings towards both men in question, and decide if she was ready to make an cautious step forward, maybe date casually again..


	13. Chapter 9

FOOTNOTE.. BUT AT THE TOP.

**{POLL IS CLOSED! I'VE CHOSEN A DIRECTION FOR AVALEIGH'S PAIRING. NATHAN WEST IS THE GUY SHE WILL BE PAIRED WITH. I HAD A READER MAKE A FEW VERY SWAYING POINTS IN A REVIEW, SO.. NATHAN WEST, LADIES, IS AVALEIGH'S FINAL PAIRING. THANKS TO ALL THAT VOTED and TO MY AMAZING REVIEWERS! I LOVE YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH, YOU HAVE NO IDEA EVEN..}****  
><span>**

**{A FEW THINGS ABOUT THIS CHAPTER.. IT'S SORT OF A DATE THING BETWEEN NATHAN AND AVALEIGH WITH CARRIE..}**

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><p>It wasn't too cold out, so she'd bundled up Carrie and told Alexis that she was going to take Carrie for a walk around the park so that Alexis and Julian could have some time alone. Since she'd moved in with them, they'd hardly had a minute to themselves and Avaleigh knew that had to be getting old, that things were already strained enough as of late, with the custody case, with her father's mob business, with her mother's working around the clock almost to try and keep her father from actually going to prison or something due to recent discoveries made by PCPD.<p>

"It gonna snow, Mama?" Carrie asked as she looked up at her mother and smiled, looked at the park they were walking towards. She loved it here, she had family around to play with constantly, and she loved her new school. She was starting to blossom, she'd come a long way from the quiet and frail little 6 year old who used to flinch at so much as a slightly raised voice, who had nightmares every night.

Avaleigh was also beginning to thrive. She was beginning to find herself, her true self, that is, and she'd started settling back into her old life. She was stressed out about the custody battle for her child, but she had confidence that her mother would help her win full custody and that when the judge heard every single thing she'd been put through while with her former husband, he'd gladly allow her to force her ex's hand into signing over his rights as a father. Or she hoped at least.

"I don't know, sweetie. It feels like it though, right?" Avaleigh asked her daughter with a laugh as she picked up the little girl, held her against her, nuzzled their noses together. "But I do know that it's a good night for chili... What do you say, Carrie? Maybe we can go into Kelly's and get a bowl of chili and you can tell me how school went?"

Carrie nodded excitedly and then broke into a bright grin as she waved to someone in the distance. Avaleigh's face heated a little when her eyes met with those piercing green ones of Nathan West and she bit into her lower lip a little as she asked quietly, "Cold enough?"

"I should ask you two that. What's up?" Nathan asked as he took Carrie who was trying to go to him, excited to see him, he laughed a little and lazily spun her around before putting his thick black jacket around her and fixing his eyes on Avaleigh, repeating his question.

"Not much, actually.. My mom just.. She needed to talk to my father.. Alone.. About all that stuff that's been going on lately, the s tuff he's gotten himself mixed up in? I figured it was a good night to take Carrie to the park, show her what the trees around here look like when it's fall. Since they're learning about leaves in class. How was your day, Nathan?"

"It's better now.. For a while earlier, though, it was chaotic.. I'm not sure why but it really seems like crime spikes when the temperature drops.. At least around here it feels that way." Nathan joked as he smiled, shifted Carrie from one hip to the other, fell into step beside Avaleigh and asked, "What about you.. Heard you had round one of the custody hearing today.. I wanted to come by at lunch.." as his hand went to her back to steer her out of incoming foot traffic on the sidewalk. She sighed and said quietly, "It was long and intense.. A lot of things came up.. I mean I knew they would I just.. I was drained when we got out of there. And he's now got the nerve of accusing me of being an unfit mother. I've never done half the things he has.. To either of us. I'd die before I let him take her.. If he gets her somehow.."

"He's not, Avaleigh."

"How can you be so sure though? I mean he has all kinds of people in his back pocket." Avaleigh muttered with disgust as the two of them and Carrie got into line at a nearby stand that was selling hot cocoa. "I'll get it." Nathan said with a smile as he got them all hot chocolate, getting Carrie a peppermint stick to stir hers with, making sure her gloves were nice and snug on her hands after Avaleigh had already checked that.

"My mama like you." Carrie whispered when Avaleigh was grabbing napkins and was out of earshot. Nathan smiled and said with a quiet laugh, "I like both of you." as Carrie smiled softly and hugged against him, mumbling quietly, "So warm.. You jacket is.." as she added seconds later and in a lower tone of voice, "I like you.. But I also kinda like that other man too.. But I really just wants to see my mama happy and smilin. She never has." while looking at Nathan who nodded and ruffled her hair then asked, "So.. How's that play coming?" while thinking to himself about their little conversation just now, what Carrie told him that her mom felt.. He hoped she did, he felt the same way about her also.

He liked both of them a lot, actually.. They weren't ever really far from his thoughts if he really had to be honest.

Avaleigh jogged back over, but before she got all the way to them, Nathan said quietly, "About what you said.. I wanna make your mom happy.. And I wanna make you happy too. But I kinda need some help? I mean I don't really know what your mom likes.." as he managed a smile at her. Carrie giggled and nodded, laughed about his not knowing something that she knew. "Okay, I help!"

"Thanks." Nathan said with a soft smile to the little girl who tapped his shoulder and said quietly, "I wanna ice skate.."

"It's not cold enough right now.. Maybe soon though, huh? They say by this weekend, it might just be cold enough to ice skate.. Maybe I can take you two then.." he said as she nodded and smiled. Avaleigh looked from Nathan to Carrie and thanked him quietly, a soft smile on her face as she took Carrie back, worked on cleaning all the stickiness off her face.

"So... if it's cold enough.. Think you two might be up for some ice skating this weekend?" Nathan asked as he held Avaleigh's gaze intently, while also holding his breath, though he wouldn't realize this until a little later. When she said yes, he smiled a bright grin and Carrie hugged her mother. The darkening of the sky had Avaleigh frowning a little and pointing out, "We should get going back to my parents.. I'll see you soon? And for the love of god, Nathan.. Be safe at work, okay? You did promise us you'd take us ice skating this weekend." as he nodded and with a laugh, walked them back towards the house that Alexis and Julian lived in. Carrie climbed down and ran inside the house, straight to her grandfather, and Avaleigh looked up at Nathan with a shy smile.. Then she raised to tiptoe and kissed his cheek and said quietly, "I'm glad we ran into you tonight." before making herself go inside.


End file.
